News: Good and Bad

It is Thanksgiving time. It makes us ponder and to be thankful for what we have, thank those for their sacrifice so that we can enjoy what we have. It is time to thank those Native Americans who unselfishly gave food to the hungry alien folks who in turn wiped out the natives with an ungrateful and selfish (or is it Darwinian theory of survival of the fittest) way. Now in the 21^st century are we becoming a little more altruistic? What do the people who are dead because of stupid wars, terrorist attacks or cancer or abject poverty (in the midst of affluence and greed) have to be thankful for? But even their kinfolks must not lose hope. Yes, it is easy to lecture for those of us who “have”.

Last 12 months have seen a lot. On the downside, there were terrorist attacks in Guwahati, Bombay and such tragedy will continue unless we find the root cause. There was fighting in old Russian Georgia. Protesters shut down Bangkok airport. Benajir Bhutto was assassinated last December. Houston was devastated by hurricane Ike. Global economy took a nosedive. On the upside, Obama was elected making history in our continued march towards equality. At personal level, I climbed mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. There were lovely weddings (including that of our daughter) bringing joy. Yes, we also had a few newborn in the community while death came to some in the form of cancer.

Life will continue - as it should - with good and bad while we take small steps towards the other side of the rainbow.