The Chicago Cubs won its first World Series in 108 years, and a candidate with no political experience was elected president. The Panama Papers have held many of the world’s seemingly invincible leaders accountable for their actions.
Great Britain, a formerly central power in one of the most successful unions of recent history, elected to leave the European Union, causing the resignation of its prime minister and leaving its future in doubt. A rapid series of coordinated terrorist attacks and lone wolf strikes shocked the world. Turkey, a bastion of stability in the Middle East, experienced a coup, leaving a political system fractured by conflict and a leader with more incentive to wield his iron fist.
In the face of such momentous, unexpected and often disheartening change, no one could blame us for feeling scared or helpless. But we can’t use tremendous change as an excuse for inaction; it is a chance to make a positive difference on the world.
When we study revolutions and great events in history (The Great Depression, World War II, the Civil Rights movement, the Cold War), they seem almost inexplicable. These events, and the people who experienced and caused them, feel removed from us, fossilized in time.

To our children and grandchildren, we are those people in history, and the consequences of our actions are the ones they’ll study. If this year has taught us anything, it’s that the seemingly impossible is not only possible, but probable.
Astounding things can happen, so it’s up to us to act now so that they’re the things we want. Climate change needs our action now. Political gridlock persists. Cancer has yet to be cured.
Stay optimistic; precedents have shown that things DO get better. Change is gradual, and optimism keeps the ball rolling.

This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on November 16, 2016.