Closing the Door on 2007. Looking Ahead to 2008.

by Gordon Cooper

From Broader View Weekly, December 28, 2007

As one calendar’s final page is torn off and filed in the circular container, a new calendar takes it place upon the wall. The past year slips into my memory and I turn my attention to the future, while noting once again how much faster the pages seem to flip each year. So, to slow the passing a little, let’s walk back through 2007 one more time before we put it away in that dark closet of our mind where old years go.

Like most, I entered 2007 with eagerness and resolve. My family was growing with two new granddaughters on the way. The first is now taking her first steps and the second only spent a few hours sharing our air before she was taken to a place where the air is always filled with heavenly sounds. The blessings of experiencing new life in a new year will always make 2007 special for me, however, it will also be a reminder of how fragile and fleeting is this life.

Apart from these personal milestones, 2007 was a notable year for our nation as well. We entered the year anticipating a new Congressional landscape (however, I must admit I was more apprehensive than anticipative) that promised great things for us in their first 100 days. Ummm… maybe we should change that to 200 days, no, that won’t work either, give ‘em 300… oh well, nobody was really listening anyway, were they?

I must admit here that I am not exactly troubled by the failure of the newly elected Representatives and Senators. In fact, I am boldly stating that gridlock is not necessarily a bad thing, believing as I do that the least amount of government is the best amount of government.

As a Conservative and a Christian, I tend to look at the glass as half full most of the time, therefore I look back at 2007 as another year of proof that we are living in the best possible nation and at the best possible time. While we still have many challenges and 2007 carried its share of dark times (the bridge collapse in Minnesota, the natural disasters, the rampaging madmen, the flag-draped coffins, the lost children and broken hearts) we can proudly say that this is still the best place in the world at this time.

We have seen a steady decrease in the violence of Iraq. We have seen another year without another 9/11/01 type of attack. We have seen some murderers brought to justice and we have seen another country open up its leadership to the will of the people. We have much to be grateful for as we glance back down that long hallway of 2007.

Now, we are facing another door, which opens to a new corridor. Twelve evenly spaced doors are marked with the names of the months ahead and as we open each one in succession we will no doubt find the rooms filled with some days of joy and some of sorrow.

The day will soon be here when we will be tearing down that 2008 calendar, all dog-eared and scribbled upon. and replacing it with a shiny 2009 model. What may we expect to see in that hallway as we look back at 2008?

Let’s take a few minutes and look ahead, shall we?

Perhaps we will look back at November of 2008 and remark about how hotly-contested another election cycle was, yet without bloodshed or violent revolt.

Perhaps we’ll look back at September 11, 2008 and exhale another sigh of relief that the terrorists did not get through our defenses to remind us of that bloody anniversary once again.

Perhaps we will see Hilary give Bill the divorce he really wanted but was afraid to ask for until she lost all hope of residing in the White House again.

Perhaps we will see a channel devoted exclusively to Britney, Paris, Lindsay, et al so the rest of our news channels could cover REAL news.

Speaking of the news, perhaps 2008 will be the year The New York Times goes BACK to printing REAL news.

Perhaps we will see another year without the projected number of hurricanes or the other dire predictions of ‘experts’ and finally realize how far we are from understanding this planet, much less controlling its atmosphere.

Perhaps the 2008 Nobel winners will be noble and winners.

Please clip this column and attach it to the December page of your new 2008 calendar, and just before you throw that page away, unfold this page and see how close we were.

Have a great 2008!