December 7th 1941. A day never to be forgotten. The military strike against Pearl Harbor that probably change the outcome of World War II as it resulted in the US to join forces against the axis of evil. It’s ironic, sad, funny and tragic how “small” or unrelated things and decisions will make a huge difference. The love affair between two men in ancient Greece created a war and legends never forgotten. The shot in Sarajevo started World War I. Small symbolic events started the massive erosion of the Soviet Union. We are yet to see what the effects of Mumbai will be, but I am in some way dreading them. The most scary example still is 9/11. The effects and impacts of those tragic events will last generations to come I am afraid. I still wonder if the outcome would have been different if things would have been different…

I know. It doesn’t matter. It is what it is. Burying ourselves in the past will not make a difference. Today this world needs people with dedication, passion and hope that the future will be woven by understanding, collaboration and peace. Now the ultimate irony. We cannot today decide what the future will be. It will be what it will be. We but only can live our lives in the present in the way we would like the future to be.

Our lives are built up by a series of decisions. Interacting. Entangled with others. Taken in a flash of a moment. The difference is just so small. We need to start paying attention to that. “Even enemies can show each other respect…” I think it is time for us all to start showing sincere respect for our “enemies” and anyone else we have disagreements with.

This weekend I went to the Green Gulch Farm in the mountains north of San Francisco. It is a Zen Buddhistic temple as well as an organic farm. I from time to time go there. It is an amazing ride over there, and a very peaceful place to be in. During the summers we go to the beach right after. It feels like childhood being at our country house in the summers. It also brings back memories from when I got confirmed and we went to a mediation center. (Imagine being thirteen years old ad having to be quite for two days. It was a challenge for sure.) Every time I am up at the Green Gulch I end up feeling like a little boy playing in the grass in the country during the summers, or eating cheese sandwiches and drinking O’Boy under the apple trees listening to sound of nature and horses. Showering with the cold, cold water from the spring. Or building Indian cottages in the forest near the house.

This Sunday, it was this amazing morning with the sun shining and the air was clear. It is something about early Sunday mornings. They are peaceful. The best part of the whole day was to sit on a bench after the meditation and lesson, sipping a nice Earl Grey tea with honey and milk in the sunlight. The company was amazing. The weather was amazing. The surrounding nature was incredible. Sometimes you would like time to just stop… Halt. Sometimes twenty minutes in the sun listening to the nature and enjoying the company is just timeless and priceless.

Life is incredibly good those days. You wish you could stay in that environment forever.

It is a very nice feeling, yet strange. It is very refreshing to get perspectives on things. A lot has happened, and still happens. It is like being is this tumbling roller-coaster where you never know if it is gonna be a valley or hill, a twist or turn, or if the roller-coaster is upside-down or downside-down. It sure is intriguing though.

Life is a funny thing. You never know where it will take you. I realized something. I am over something. Something I thought it would take me a long time to come over and it did…

Right now I am sitting and enjoying an afternoon coffee listening to Annie Lennox - “Into the West”, the end song of the third and last part of Lord of the Rings. I cannot help thinking back on a year that has changed my life tremendously. A friend asked me how my year has been so far and I tried to summarize it, but probably did not make it justice. I think it is hard to summarize the year in any fair manner as there are so many episodes, events and meetings that has built it up. The year of 2007 is one of the most impactful years in my life. I have learned a lot of myself - both strengths and weaknesses.

This year has very much been woven up by seeking answers - either in business or personal as for what I wanted to do. The summer as probably one of the most experiences of my life time. It was a big roller-coaster ride in any possible way. Very intense indeed.

I remember one turning point. I think it was late August and I was taking a long walk listening to music and ended up sitting at a bench at Stanford Campus looking at the stars. Thinking of what made sense to do. Or how to go there. I made the decision there under the stars. Since then I have stayed honest to that decision. What the decision was I will leave out but I believe I made the right choice. Time will tell.

After a few days with less intense work at the end of 2007, I have gotten some perspective over things and I believe I know how I would like to take on this new year and what I would like to do.

I look with anticipation and comfort to the year of 2008.

“What can you see
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea
A pale moon rises
The ships have come to carry you home”