It has been an interesting week around the World. As I was working on assessing the World thru the "Grid", I saw this very hilarious poster from the noted Middle East Analyst and Scholar Robin Wright from the Wilson Center in Washington. I could not help but celebrate this because diplomacy can work if it is allowed to work. The good news that all will go back before the advent of the Iranian New Year to try and hammer out a deal. It was also quite gratifying to see the reports noting that Iran had lived up to all the commitments so far as called for in the interim deal.
I was quite taken aback when I saw an article by the noted Iranian Political Scientist Sadegh Zibakalam blasting President Rouhani for having no vision at all. This was released to a recent banned publication--but the message is interesting in that it shows the continued challenges President Rouhani continues to be faced with on both the right and the left of politics in Iran. It is somewhat akin to the struggles President Obama has had when he seems to be attacked from all sides.
Beyond Iran, there is Ukraine. Just like many around the World, I welcomed the deal brokered by the European Union that called for a National Unity Government and Presidential Elections. However, the protesters shouted down the Opposition Leader Vitali Klitschko as he wanted to speak to the crowds explaining the deal. Protesters are yet to leave the square. Sky News is reporting that the President of Ukraine has gone to the Russian Heartland of Ukraine with the Speaker of the Parliament.
There is one more country worth watching: Canada. The son of the Former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Justin, is now the leader of his father's old party. He's begun laying out his vision to challenge Stephen Harper. It will be fascinating to see where this all goes.
As I reflect upon our World, I could not help but take comfort though in this beautiful thought from the great Ralph Martson. We can only be thankful for the past. We must look ahead and remember Diane Nyad's admonition to go ONWARD:
Thankful for the past
You can’t change the past. So there’s no point in continuing to rehash it in your mind.
Yes, there is much you can learn from the past. Once you’ve learned what there is to learn, move quickly on.
Though you can’t change the past, you can choose the way you feel about it. Your best choice is to always feel thankful that your past has brought you to where you are.
Where you are now is a place and time filled with great possibilities. Choose the most positive and meaningful of those possibilities, and go with them.
Go into the future with a sincere sense of gratitude and purposeful intention. Go into the future informed and inspired by the past, but not burdened by it.
The past has been good to you because it has given you the opportunity of now. Wisely use that opportunity and make the future even better.
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