Butterflies for a Better World

2004 has been, and continues to be, a tumultuous year. Last January seems to be such a very, very long distance away. When this year began, Howard Dean was the frontrunner for the democratic nomination and my office was still on the upper floor of my employer's house. Over the course of the year, I spent a week in Paris, went to New York City twice, gathered with my family on my uncle's farm, and continued to enjoy Chattanooga and its people and environs.

I'm not a big fan of the christmas holiday, so as I observed the solstice yesterday my thoughts sort of skipped over the xmas thing and moved on to New Year's. Looking forward is a wonderful thing, and reflecting back on the year past can be cleansing, if a little bittersweet. The Japanese have a tradition called bonenkai -- parties held with the purpose of leaving the old year's worries and troubles behind. It's a nice idea. Here in the States, we tend to focus on the clean slate of the new year without giving too much thought to clearing out old baggage. Today I've found myself starting that process of looking back and reflecting on the time passed. I want to give some thought to what I'd like to leave behind with the old year (besides the weight I've gained since I quit smoking), but at the moment, my thoughts are turning to the many memories of 2004 that I'll cherish. One of the highlights of my year was the trip to NYC in August to join the protests when the Republicans had their convention at Madison Square Garden. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I brought back countless images of so many people who put their hearts and souls into that peaceful expression of free speech. This little girl is one of them. Her sign says simply, "Butterflies Against Bush."