A NEW year is on its way...Happy New Year!

As the hours countdown for the welcoming of the New Year, and with it many longings yet to be expressed - silent, unmentioned, unstated, tentative, incipient, quiet, but deep down real - a quick review of what could be, presents itself.

Many of these are now daily newspaper, radio, TV, and Internet themes. Wars in Iraq, and the Afghanistan countryside. Africa, and its multiple national government/s crises; dislocated populations; merciless killings, hunger and starvation, AIDS, women and children abuses. The Middle East and the vicious - as in circular also - cycles of fear and revenge. Eye for an eye. Oppression, repression. Loss of hope leading to rage-blind sacrifices of individual lives.

Economic radical changes throughout the world. Structurally deep changes. The tipping point to possibilities.

The end of suburban ism in the States? Transformation of the car and its dependent omnipresent transportation subsystems as an integral part of modern society. The notion of capitalism changing, becoming more, er...social, than individualistic? Democracy balancing capitalism - maybe? Corporations transcendentally changing, perhaps? Maybe becoming more focused on their social reason for being, rather than the enrichment of a few of its stakeholders. Wall Street starting to refocus on a new purpose, spending zillions on its restructuring, and public relations' new image. Networking within homes substituting expensive, bland and empty cable TV programming. Government 'for the people by the people...', etc., for real. Justice looking beyond color and race. Death sentences barred. Misdemeanor jurisprudence taking over multiple present day felony classifications. Jails becoming educational and transformational entities, including yes, hard but meaningful work, such as roles in agriculture, infrastructure, in multiple civil needs. And so many more themes...the environment addressed, health care coverage a reality, (...so many millions in the US alone without a social net to catch them, including myself!), religious conflicts and differences becoming a source of cafe dialog meetings...

Wake up!

...wake up?

These items are 'on the table' right now, and the next years, months, days, hours, minutes are critical in terms of the decisions that we in this society, and we, as humanity, need to make. But where to start? How?

The thought that comes is that there is an environment for change, given the need for change (seen thru the huge pains associated with it), and the impulse for it given a fresh social thought and a new government - reaction to a calamitous decline of the national psyche's fundamentals. And riding that change energy wave, getting our intentional surfboard on top of it, will be the way in, and out, to a new and improved reality.

Let's talk immigration, for example. I want to learn more, share with others, discuss and develop possibilities, using as reference the European Union's Common Basic Principles for immigrant integration policy, and incorporating those process activities into this year's work. These principles have been worked on for years by those nations, and taking a peek at their conclusions, programs, projects and measurements of progress, could reap wonderful benefits for us in our communities, in our cities, in our State, and hopefully, our Nation. But it starts where...? Here, with me. With you. With us.

It can be as small as a discussion group. Small steps. Step by step. For a peek at this 'dream state', take a look at the first "Whereas" of the document:
"1. Immigration is a permanent feature of European (sub...American?) society. If the flow of immigrants - who should be understood throughout the text as legally residing immigrants in the territory of the
Member (sub...U.S.) States - is orderly and well-managed, Member States reap many benefits. These
include stronger economies, greater social cohesion, an increased feeling of security, and
cultural diversity. Taken together and across all Member States, these benefits advance the European (American) process and strengthen the Union’s position in the world. Therefore, the effective
management of migration by each Member State is in the interest of all."

There are 8 "Whereas" in this document, and one has 6 sub items...! Isn't this 'stuff' mind-blowing? The accent is in the "successful integration of immigrants and their descendants". What will it take for us in Georgia, in the States, to produce a conviction-rich document like that? For us? For our generation? For our children, and their children? For world peace.

Let's wake up in 2009 ready to go, OK?

Have a wonder-filled year.