SENTINEL WATCH December 27, 2004 Issue

A healing agenda for 2005

By Richard Bergenheim

A year of healing. That's what I want more than anything in the months ahead. I mean healing in all its forms—but especially the healing of conflict and divisiveness.

The moment this thought struck me, I was surprised to find how deep this desire is. 2004 has been a year of extremism, of violent passions and disagreements, of war, genocide, and terrorism. In many countries partisanship has turned into hatred.

In this context, even the idea of a year of healing feels like a mother's comforting hug.