Well readers it's the end of the year again and you know what that means! It's time for my annual State of the Planet address. While I previously would write this post on December 9, I have now decided to publish it on the last day of the year so that I have time to think and reflect on events from the entire year.

This has been a particularly rough year for me personally but more importantly, it's been a tough year for the planet. Of course, the main concern most people seem to have these days is the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel.

My statement on this matter may be controversial but I believe it needs to be said. In general, I do not feel taking the life of another human being is always the preferred course of action in any conflict. However, the situation between Hamas and Israel has become increasingly complicated in recent years and I see no other path forward than for each side to fight for their beliefs until this conflict is resolved.

Both sides have their own reasons for fighting and while I think the loss of innocent lives is nothing short of tragic, I hope that this war brings the conflict to a definitive ending so that both parties never have to fight again.

Like the kids in the image I created using AI for this post's thumbnail, I wish for future generations to be able to laugh and smile through life as we have to wage the unfortunate wars behind the scenes that will shape their world.

I have similar feelings towards other conflicts around the world such as the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and the conflict in Sudan that began earlier this year. While there will certainly be wars in the future, my dream is for a world where we learn to fight with our words and not physical weapons. 

In more positive news, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Dubai this month, I was thrilled to hear that almost all nations have agreed to finally move away from fossil fuels towards more renewable energy sources. This is a great step forward and I hope this decision will help us to end Kali Yuga swiftly to bring about Satya Yuga.

On that note, I began this year spending time with a good friend named Satya and throughout this year he and others have helped me to better understand truth. It is by no means easy, as the pursuit of truth is a lifelong process that can sometimes create uncomfortable situations.

This year, as I saw Padmavati pursue a side quest that made me reinterpret a section of my Purana, I realized that we all make mistakes as human beings. The important thing is that we never stop learning and we never stop growing.

So pursue the truth at all costs, and let's make 2024 an exciting year for humanity.

-k