Here we are in 2012. A year which many believe is the end of our days. A year which some say the ancient Mayans predicted was to be mans last. Well people, "Here we are".

I don’t profess to know the future. In fact I have a full time job with the present, but I do know or at least remember the past.

If I was asked what I think the biggest changes have been brought about in during my lifetime, I would have to say people. Yes, that’s right, people. 'People' like you and me. We have changed.

We are afraid more and when you’re afraid you don’t think clearly. We fear things like sickness and contaminated food and water. We fear layoffs and job losses and high fuel prices. We fear invisible terrorists and we so willingly look to government for help, because we are afraid.

The people I remember in the past could have been afraid at times, but they knew how to look after their families. In fact they did not look to government, they turned to each other for help and comfort when needed.

We had neighbours back then, not just people living next door to us. They minded their business, we minded ours but we helped each other if it was needed.

Children respected their elders.."we were those children". Remember? We may not have agreed with them..but we respected them. Remember?

We were the protesters, the hippies, the world changing long haired, bead wearing and peace sign wielding, 'love generation'. What happened?

In our generation there have been more financial scams, more famines, more wars, more job closings, poisoned foods, tainted vaccinations, shadowy epidemics, children on prescription medicine for being over active or depressed, education lapses, dirty deals, government takeovers, corporate payouts of citizens tax dollars. I could go on and on.

Very few children respect their parents as they are too into video games and Prozac.

What happened to us? How can we fear the unknown and not shake at the here and now? We, the great generation of change.

Well we changed all right. We not only became the establishment we once warned against, we also surrendered to it and fed it our greatest treasure..our family.

It’s 2012..here we are. Perhaps we will remember, 'who we are'. God Bless.

©Mike McConnery/Baden K-9 Incorporated,01/07/2012

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