As the year 2017 was rushing toward the end of the line, we, the folks in GTA (Greater Toronto Area), were being chilled to the core of our skeletons as the arctic air blew through our region. Temperature as low as negative high thirties (Celsius) with real feel several degrees below, people thought twice before stepping out.

It was a glorious year of white Christmas. While not exactly celebrated in my home, after three decades in North America it has become as much a part of me as anybody else, race, religion put aside. Seeing my neighbors joyous and happy brought immense pleasure to me. The houses in my lane glittered with spectacle of lights for months, reminding us all the carefreeness and glory of the holiday season.

So, now that 2017 is past and we had a little time to recollect, what’s the verdict on the year that we just left behind? I am sure each one of us have our own version of good, bad and ugly list. Here is mine in a nutshell:  

Laudable: Nobel peace prize often creates quite a bit of dispute. In 2017, the award went to an organization named International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) The founders and workers of this organization are tirelessly working to focus our attention on the destruction of actual human lives in the event of a nuclear war breaking up among nuclear powered countries. They are also trying to get all nations come to a combined treaty against nuclear weapons.

Dangerous: Since President Donald Trump won the presidency election in USA, many people have questioned plenty of his actions. His victory specifically fueled rise of hardline white supremist groups, fascism and overall level of hatred and divisiveness based on race, religion and social status. Alarmingly enough, once considered a place of harmony, such divisiveness has also encroached into our good old Canada. The murder of 6 innocent worshippers in a Quebec City mosque was just one of many hateful incidents. Thankfully not all of them had such devastating ending. 

Questionable: Supreme leader of North Korea Kim Jong-un has made one thing quite clear – he is determined to build nuclear bombs to establish his country as a formidable power in the world. Crazy or calculatedly defiant, for President Trump to get into a childish Twitter battle of words with Kim Jong-un was ludicrous. The priceless question here is -  Is there any way to stop North Korea? While it would be almost impossible to convince the nuclear armed countries to give up their arsenal, is it wise to allow other countries to have their own nuclear weapons? What I wonder is, while Iran is not exactly in the same class of North Korea, can it also take the same rout?

Unthinkable: in the year 2017 there had been plenty of example of cruelty but the way Myanmar government treated the Rohingyas by indiscriminate killings, rapes and arson, creating a mass migration of close to half a million people to Bangladesh seeking refuse status was simply unimaginable. The Nobel peace prize winner and the de facto leader of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi’s failure to act while ethnically motivated violence and mass atrocities lead by the military were going on unabated, was utterly disgusting. 

Short-sighted: Declaring that USA recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was not a very helpful decision taken by President Trump’s administration. While West Jerusalem can be the capital of Israel, whole Jerusalem cannot as Israel occupied East Jerusalem after the war of 1967 against the three Arab allies Egypt, Syria and Jordan. Palestinians have been demanding East Jerusalem as their capital in the two-state solution in the region among other things. By this declaration Trump administration has just made any chance of a peace process almost impossible to achieve.

Abominable: In the name of creating a Islamic state in the Middle East the murderous group called ISIS or more popularly known as Daesh had carried on merciless killings, rapes, even introduced slavery. It has come as a relief that this horrifying sadistic group has been largely defeated and disbursed by the Iraqi army. Hopefully this would bring a peaceful closure to the unimaginable brutality.

Finally, no one can complete the list without mentioning the overwhelming waves of allegations by primarily female actors against powerful personalities of sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment and  even rapes in our beloved Hollywood. It has been equally sad and disgusting to learn about resourceful people like Harvey Weinstein breaching every possible work, personal and social ethics to take advantage of talented and motivated but often helpless, vulnerable women. Unfortunately, while the allegations may have destroyed a few carriers they haven’t had any consequences otherwise.  I think time is ripe for all women to unite and say no to any exploitation regardless of reward. 

Now, my favorite event in 2017? Being a soccer fan and a TFC (Toronto Football Club) fan, TFC’s winning of MLS championship – the first ever for a Canadian team, was definitely the one. Love this team and believe they can compete in world level. Looking forward to a glorious future for my favorite team.

Let’s hope the year 2018 brings better time to our good old world. There are plenty of extremely serious issues to handle, but hopefully our leadership would show appropriate willingness, wit and foresight to face them and hopefully resolve without mayhem.

Wishing you all a very happy and successful 2018.