The end of a year and another decade

For some reason, I’ve always been a person who often reflects upon events of the past in my life. I don’t think they consume me as I’m also looking forward quite often as well. I don’t believe it’s useful to dwell in regrets but to acknowledge mistakes and short-sighted decisions to see if there’s something that can be learned.

Twenty years ago at this time, people were frantic over a perceived threat that computers when controlled banks and other valuable systems would crash due to a fear that they would not correctly manage the switch from the 20th century to the 21st century. People stocked up on water, dehydrated meals, pulled their life savings out of the banks and had their firearms ready to protect themselves for the coming apocalypse. Then, the New Year came and went as it always has and the power grid did not go off. Money was as safe and accessible in our banks as much as any other day.

As a computer person, I was a bit frustrated and surprised at the panic and extreme actions of people despite constant affirming that the computer issues had been addressed. Whenever the perceived threat was over, however, people seemed to abandon any sense of need to be discerning of threats that they couldn’t see or perhaps didn’t want to believe was possible.

That all changed on September 11th, 2001; just a little over a year and a half from the dreaded “Y2K crisis.” Terrorists took control of four commercial airliners in flight and used the jets to destroy the World Trade Center buildings and part of the Pentagon. Thousands of people died and a shocked nation received a wake-up call that we were vulnerable when we least expected it.

It has changed our world and not for the better. People have become less trusting, more sectarian, isolated, angry, depressed, . . .

The reality is that we cannot change others. But, the real question looking back on mistakes and looking forward to a new year and decade, is can we act differently? Can we respond in a way that creates healthier relationships with people? Can we speak and act in a way that is encouraging and not attacking?