Lost an initial effort at a response. No matter, will try again. There's a glitch somewhere but no big deal.

I've always admired the bravery required to write with any sort of confidence our planets furure. All things considered here: the Earth, its beings, its place in space, etc, etc. Just takes real nerve. Then there are those who dismiss the whole exercise of future prediction based on the current and most importantly the past.

Be that as it may. I do feel this sort of projection is needed in order for us to usher in tomorrow with at least a compass sense of the road we're taking. I say 'we're' a lot because it includes every last one of us, down to the atomic life to the dinosaurs...

Having said that it's also very true that most written predictions fall flat on its face. Interesting that there are countless. 'cosmic' columnists whose livelihood it is to predict our future either through the stars and planets or cards or tea leaves. Point being we find unravelling the future an irresistible pull.

Is it really any wonder that humankind always seems to have to endure unlimited pain in order to move forward? Since childhood it's always been my assumption that in order for us to grow we will have to go through the growing pains we are all so familiar with. We've lived these in the past from the unspeakably awful early days of the Rennaissance, the pain and unspeakable plunder brought upon earths inhabitants by the church's' (of all stripes), to the current awful days. seems they are still with us. Despite this there is a notion underfoot that as a planet we've never had it so good!

A quick snapshot of a country once called the USA...just two hundred and some years old, now quickly jump to the Roman empire, then to the Mughal Empire, the almost endless years these older ones existed. Now enter the 'newcomer' the USA just barely off the ground!

Food for serious thought I'd say.

It appears as if we very well may be on that path of fire and plunder the books final phases offers.

Growing pains. Is it any wonder this is how it will go?

Thanks for the stirring piece.

Tom