On the first day of 2010 . . . .

Here it is, the first day of the new year, and for the past couple of weeks we have been surrounded by broadcasts and columns "looking back" at the past year and the past decade. I understand the impulse to look back, and it's one I can't resist, either.

Most of the past decade was taken up with the Bush presidency. Enough said about that. The economy was in the toilet. Enough said about that.

For many, this was a year that couldn't end soon enough: when an NPR commentator asked, rhetorically, "what can we say about 2009?," Julia immediately responded, "AMF."

It has been a trying year for me, too, in many ways.

I have begun to think of the Thanksgiving-through-New Year's Eve period as the season of lost mothers. This is the first year that Julia and her siblings spent without their mother, and four other friends have mourned the deaths of their mothers since Thanksgiving day. I'm tired of wearing my "funeral tie."

In areas where my work (away from the NMB) is most focused, things have not gotten better. Israel continues to fracture along religious and party lines, with secular Jews fleeing Jerusalem for Tel Aviv and some semblance of freedom from orthodox religious strictures. In Palestine, the rift between Hamas and Fatah is as deep as ever, and Fatah continues to break apart internally. I'd be tempted to quote Yeats - "the center cannot hold" - but there doesn't appear to be a center among the Palestinians. When I was in Haifa earlier this year I heard Tzipi Livni give a speech about her desire to work with the Palestinians. Later in the year, when Julia and I were in London, the British courts issued an arrest warrant for Livni, blocking her travel to the UK. When the "progressive" in the government is wanted for war crimes, you know that conflict resolution has an uphill struggle.

In Afghanistan, deaths and violence are rising, making our desire to create commercial opportunities for women and rule of law a reality seem nearly impossible.

But still, there were bright spots. We got PeaceTones off the ground in 2009, and we are working to set up the non-profit that will put money back into Sierra Leone for educating children in Freetown. The City of Rhyme kids from Recife were the featured entertainment at the World Justice Forum in Vienna - from what I heard, their sound equipment and their spirit literally and figuratively rocked the Forum to its foundations.

We do have a viable proposal to build a playground and child care center adjacent to the community mediation center in Bethlehem, and I have high hopes it will become a reality in 2010.

I'm working on a study abroad course for SMU that will address child trauma for both Israeli and Palestinian kids - I hope to make something more than just a course out of that effort.

Our proposals for work in Afghanistan are still in the mix of projects being considered for funding, so we may be able to do some good there in 2010.

Faced with mountains of conflict in the world, I have to keep focused on a comment I heard during 2009 at a charity fund raising event - it may seem that we are emptying the ocean with a teaspoon, but even that makes a difference. In terms of ODR or ADR or conflict resolution, or whatever you want to call it, no matter which way we look, the ocean's in front of us. But I have a teaspoon so I'll keep using it.

There are some ongoing bright spots in my life for which I am most thankful.

Julia remains the love of my life and the anchor for my scattered existence.

I am constantly amazed at the intelligent, committed, and energetic people with whom I interact at SMU and Creighton - they want to, and will, change the world.

And, as I say every year, I am humbled by the wonderful group of people around the world whom I have the privilege to call friends.

I send you my love, and I wish you all the best in this new year.