2005 Year Review

Wow. Happy new year! Who would’ve thought? Honestly time is flying so fast that my head’s spinning. I could’ve sworn that it was just September yesterday, but now were on the edge of 2006. So many things have happened in the world and some notable personal goals have been achieved. Overall, the past year has been a big fat blur of days and events—sometimes people tell me things that have happened a year or two ago and I argue vehemently with them, refusing to believe that time has gone by without my noticing. How dreadful and scary.

One thing stands out in my mind though; I think of 2005 in a nutshell as the year God’s wrath was released through numerous natural disaster, right after one another. It made me shake in my boots and make some necessary changes in my life which hopefully I would keep up in the future years. The day of judgement is near, certainly the signs are all pointing to it and we do have prior warnings. I’ve seen plenty of the prophecies come true and my soul quakes at the thought of dying in my present state. The new year is a time of change for the better; new beginning to wipe the slate and start all over again. This time with the right intentions, the resolve, and the hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easy in life.

Some of the following highlights and lowlights of the past year I somewhat remember vaguely and others I gleaned from the local neighbourhood paper.

• In January, the most unbelievably horrible thing imaginable occurred, the American public in a moment of stupidity re-elected, for a 4 year term, the dangerous fool G.W. Bush inspite of the numerous public plunders he made and the many problems he created for his nation and the world as a whole. A sad, sad day it was. In the same month he estimated that 30,000 Iraqis, many civilian women and children already starving from the imposed ten year sanction, died since the U.S. and U.K invasion of May 2003.

• Exactly a year ago today, on Dec 26th, the biggest tsunami in recorded history swept through Asia, hitting Indonesia particularly hard, and leaving 231,452 dead, millions homeless, and many villages flooded and destroyed. Following in the heels of the tsunami, within just 10 hours, the world’s fourth largest earthquake since 1900 at a 9.0 Richter scale ripped through the Indian Ocean causing further destruction and lost lives.

• Prince Adulterer Charles of England married his long time mistress and fellow adulteress Camilla on April, a disgusting spectacle witnessed by shocked people around the world and supported by the morally challenged bottom feeders. The couple postponed their wedding because of the lavish and obscenely extravagant funeral of Pope John Paul II, 88.

• Four explosions blasted through the London underground system on July the 7th, damaging three subways and a bus, at the end of the rush hour killing 52 people and injuring many more. Islam is again at the forefront of the world news for the wrong reasons.

• On the same month, July 20th, the deputy Governor General signed Bill C-38, passing a law that permitted gays and lesbians to marry, thus making Canada the fourth country to recognize the union and give them the same rights as heterosexual couples. This wasn’t without protest from a large portion of the public and a heated opposition from the Conservative Party (the one thing I agree with them about). The division between church and state gets even larger.

• Gas prices increased by a few cents in the middle of August, sending gas guzzling SUV motorists into hypertension and fits of rage.

• Katrina made her grand entrance at the end of August in New Orleans, killing close to 1,300 shortly joined by Rita in mid September in the Texas/Louisiana border. Bush’s opinion of the poor and the black is observed by many through his lack of action.

• On the other hand, Michelle Jean is appointed as Canada’s 27th Governor General in September, replacing Adrienne Clarkson as the Queen’s Representative. She is also the first black woman to hold that title. Way to go Jean.

• In October, the BC Teachers Federation (42,000) declared a strike for a better contract, smaller class sizes, and more attention given to special education despite a government bill and court order to return to school. The illegal strike held for over two weeks in the midst of numerous rallies supported by other labor groups and parents.

• While that was heating up in the other side of the world, on October 8, a devastating earthquake in South Asia killed more than 73,000 people, left millions homeless especially in Pakistan and Kashmir.

There it is. Those were the major developments of the past year. A few personal achievements have also been met; I’ve finally landed a job at the end of June although entry level, minimum wage, but got to start somewhere, and in September I’ve transferred to my first choice University which I’m pleased about. Not that I care either way, but wanted to see if I could do it. InshaAllah next year will bring sunshine and rainbows; I’m looking forward to some travel and accomplishing more short term goals.

Here’s to 2006; may it bring a smile to our faces and hearts. Amen.