by Dion Frasier
Preaching
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way . . .
Charles Dickens,
A Tale of Two Cities
Mankind has not always had the luxury of making transitions thoughtfully. Sometimes we have been thrust rudely into the future with neither a "please" nor a "thank you." On occasion, however, we can see these transitions coming. We have had the opportunity to stand on the threshold of these transitions and think carefully about where we are going . . . and why . . . and what we hope to find when we get there.