It is my hope that, in these days just after the ever-violent 20th century passed away, its successor will be much more peaceful. The world celebrated in the mindset of a global community on 12-31-1999 and peace was the rule rather than the exception. The Pope proclaimed January 1, 2000 World Peace Day. I only hope that in the times that lie before humanity, the lessons of our past can be learned without further bloodshed.

The present is a time without limits. The opportunity for achieving our wildest dreams is finally within our grasps. We must continue to live our lives as we did the last day as 20th century humans, as if we were all reading the same sheets of music. What we put out into the world is what we get back. I am not talking about karma, I am talking about the fact that we are all interconnected to one another today in ways people could have never dreamed of 100 years ago. Our nations and cultures are linked beyond what the average person today can imagine.

Now is the time to implement all those great improvements in our lives we have put off until "some other time". What better time than RIGHT NOW? The clock at the top of this page is counting down to 2001. Sit and watch it tick for a minute or two and reflect on your life. Each time the seconds tick down another second slips irretrievalby from your grasps. Every second we waste we lose momentum that we could have been using to create that great impact we all wish our lives had on the world as a whole. Now is the time to quit smoking, doing drugs, hating, envying, lying, doubting, and procrastinating. Now is the time to start recycling (yes I do). Now is the time to get yourself right with whatever belief system you have, and by the same token, it is also the time to learn to practice a little more religious tolerance.

Once ages ago pagans persecuted christians, and in later years that trend was reversed. Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Christians (all sects), Wiccans, and Athiests (who place their faith in science) must all draw their strength from their belief systems. We should all use that strength to focus on our common goals and beyond our differences. Trying to change anothers beliefs is at best a test in futility, so why drain ourselves as such when we can combine our energies to achieve a greater good. People always look to the Middle-East and shake their heads, "Why can not they just get along?" Well, I pose that question now to every person of faith around the world. If you believe and love a higher power, why sqabble over what color he was, if he was prophet, a woman, the moon...I mean really, can you not see the glory of the creator in every speck of matter around you? Think about it, and while you do, watch the clock at the top of the page. Maybe you will see how precious little time everyone has left to make a difference.