The Passing of a Year

So every year at this time, I say that the year just passing has gotten crazier than the previous years, and 2023 is no exception. Globally, wars and conflict continued unabated. Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine continues, along with other lesser known wars in Africa, the Middle East, and other places that should receive more attention than they do. Then on October 7th, the heinous attack by Hamas on Israel revealed unspeakable acts of depravity, shocking much of the world.

Domestically, and in other seemingly civilized nations, it already seemed that various issues had taken on an extreme ideological grotesqueness that would be hard to push any lower, until the Friends of Hamas said "Hold my beer". The moral rot in much of the cultural establishment, but especially in many leading universities has become glaringly apparent (although already recognized by many for years).

Meanwhile, the political situation going into the presidential election year is turning quite bizarre. While the issues facing the world and the nation are most consequential, the legal and rhetorical maneuvering seems to center around the emotional reactions for and against one individual named Donald Trump. Meanwhile, the issues surrounding election process and integrity only add to the lack of confidence by many that we can be sure of fair and valid election results.

While the situation can look pretty dire, there is hope in that truth and information are like water, seeping around the attempts by government and corporate entities to censor information and commentary that varies from their preferred narrative. Continuing economic hardship and uncertainty also adds to the sense that old alliances may be breaking down and that the political and social direction of society is truly up for grabs.

And with all of the political and social upheaval going on, amazing progress continues to be made in medicine technology and other fronts. Major breakthroughs in space exploration highlight this year. One development to note is that two test flights of the SpaceX Starship, the first space vehicle to be specifically designed with human migration to places beyond Earth in mind, were conducted in Texas this year. While the results were only partially successful, much data was gathered that will lead to an increased pace of development and testing in the coming year. Meanwhile, Starship is a key element of the hardware NASA intends to use to return humans to the Moon after the long 50 year hiatus since the original Apollo Moon missions. Whether this return to the Moon can be sustained and expanded on a permanent basis will depend on ongoing developments in commercial launch and in-space technologies and operations, some of which are poised for breakthrough in 2024, and can accelerate human expansion into space. 

Well, personal lives and human history are seldom phased conveniently by the calendar, and are often marked by extreme  episodes of deception and depravity, but also many examples of heroism, kindness and soaring achievement. So, may we continue to make headway in protecting life and defending liberty while respecting the dignity of every person despite our differences. And may God's blessings and peace be upon you and yours and wishing all the best in this new year of 2024 and the amazing decades to come.