The best of times; the worst of times

        "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,

         it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness..."

            - Charles Dickens

In many ways, our own times mimic those described by Charles Dickens in A Tale of Two Cities.

Technological, medical, and other advances accelerate all around us while economies, financial markets and governments rise and fall, and weave and dodge with increasing volatility.

Some of our present angst likely results from our tendency for selective memory - we tend to remember the good things or times, while conveniently forgetting the bad. 

Lest we forget, paraphrasing the title of Robert Heinlein's famous novel, the world is a harsh mistress.

While we often cannot control our destiny, we can control how we respond to that destiny. We are responsible for our own actions.