Lessons Learned – 2011 Edition

At this time last year, I wrote about four lessons I learned in 2010. This year I thought I’d look back at those lessons and consider what I might have learned in 2011.

2010

• Things Aren’t Always As They Seem
  No evidence in 2011 to overturn this theory.
• Life Is Hard
  No question about it!
• I Need to Play More Video Games
  I’ve played more this year, and it really helped. I enjoy it and I’ve actually learned quite a bit about gameplay mechanics.
• My Kids Are Growing Up
  Still the hardest thing for me to deal with. My daughter is a teenager now and my son seems to be doing just fine a hundred miles away from his parents.

2011

While I certainly learned some things last year, nothing stands out as much to me. What does stand out is a few lessons reinforced.

• There Is A God
  Those of you familiar with my thinking know that I’m not the kind of theist who believes because he wants to. I believe in God because I simply know he exists. I don’t have a philosophical problem accepting a world where God doesn’t exist, but I just don’t think that’s the case. I’ve never felt more strongly about it.
• There Is a Lot of Hate in the World
  The economic and political climate in the U.S. and the death of Osama bin Laden brought this to the front of my thinking. I love my country as much as anyone, but I don’t hate anyone – even if they disagree with me.
• The NBA Is a Waste of Time
  I know this is not a serious issue, but it was worth mentioning. I think Basketball is flawed game to begin with, but the NBA is the worst kind of basketball. Just to be clear, I am not just a jaded fan who is mad at the players. I actually sided with them during this last dispute.