I wish you all a wonderful New Year and thank you so much for reading my blogs

I love life and freedom and good food and lots of fun. I also love to write as a passion and help people as a vocation. All my careers has been in service of others and country. I am thankful for all I have in life, especially my health. If we are healthy we can work and dance and explore. That includes mental health. Each year I ponder if I shall continue to practice and I have decided to continue. I shall also continue to live in Toronto because of obligations. My ideal city is New York; my favourite place in the world is Disney World. It is no wonder that my American neighbours are my most dedicated readers. Thank you. I always have fun whenever I cross the border. I find a kinship with the people. And why not? I grew up with American television which is still my favourite and all my texts of psychology were actually written by Americans rather than Canadians. I asked why one year and was told that we were not writing them. That has changed. I am reading one text now on personality. It is rather boring and I have studied most of it but I did win it at a conference so I am determined to read it all. I have read about 600 pages. My education especially in psychology has been very repititious. That is why it is inprinted in my brain. I have memorized so much in my life and because I continue to utilize my brain in such a matter, I exercise it. The world is changing and so is how we study. Speaking to a retired principal which I mentioned to you before, I learned that youth today do not have the same learning capacity simply because of how time has changed. Information is as simple as pressing a key board. There is no need for retention. I was thinking about that yesterday. I know that for myself, I have always re-invented myself to meet the changing times. I upgraded my education so that it was relevant. A Masters has replaced the BA's. Education is more important now than it ever was in the past. Corporations have blended and want the brightest of minds for creativity. We have artificial intelligence as the new future. There are so many positive possibilities for the future that it is mind boggling. Yet, we have problems as well. Extemist groups are often replaced by others who are hunted and destroyed. I was reading an article about India the other day which stated that it is difficult for women to be educated and more so for getting work. We still have a disasterous amount of children starving and dying. There is another concern of politicians of questionable intellect being in control of countries. But, there is hope. The planet is ill and scientists are too often ignored about global warming or silenced. I took a three day seminar about global warming years ago and I couldn't watch a disaster movie for years. I would have definitely taken that direction of study if I were young. That is where we are headed and it is purely a fact. I believe I heard on a newscast that 25% think it is a concern. However, I have hope. I believe that the majority of the world is good. In every religion, culture, and leadership there is goodness. Sometimes, good people do bad things. Then there are the extremests in many groups who are so lost that hate and conquering is their ownly motive. This is usually motivated by ignorance and it is not surprising that the first thing they do is kill intellectuals and dominate and control women and the men who try to protect them. This is often done by death. I abhor communism and that is why I like to take shots at China and not buy products from them, but it is not only China. Look at North Korea and the list goes on. People in these countries, good people, are controlled and manipulated. Just the other day I threw out garlic I had bought at Fortino's because I learned it was made in China. I was not surprised when China told Canada there would be serious consequences if we did not release a Senior VIP arrested at the request of the USA. This is an agreement in the free world not to be negotiated. I always take threats very seriously expecially when it comes from a dictator. However, I have hope. This morning while watching the news I heard talks of trade among countries that will exclude tariffs. I am so happy to hear that. There is hope. I believe that we have a lot of brilliant people in the world who want a better life for the entire world. As the year ends I wish for all of you to have hope. I sincerely thank you for reading my blogs. I wish you a wonderful New Year full of love and joy. Thank you. www.silvaredigonda.com www.redigondapsychotherapy.com