The 2020s have been an interesting decade so far. The COVID-19 pandemic, the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, massive floods and fires around the world, mass shootings (including a horrendous one in our own state) … the list goes on.

“You never know,” is a term we use in not knowing about the future.

2024 is the anniversary of some memorable events.

Good or not so good, Facebook was started 20 years ago. It is also the 15th anniversary of Barack Obama being inaugurated as the first Black president. Rock icon Michael Jackson died 15 years ago.

In other continents, the Tiananmen Square Massacre and the Berlin Wall being dismantled were memorable events 35 years ago.

Many people my age remember staying up late to witness man landing on the moon 55 years ago. But not a lot of people are still around to remember Roger Bannister breaking the four-minute mile barrier 70 years ago and even fewer remember the start of World War II 85 years ago.

What will the new year bring? I took to the internet and learned about Baba Vanga, who was a Bulgarian mystic. Although she passed away in 1996, she apparently predicted the sinking of the Kursk submarine in the year 2001 and the terrorist attack of 9/11.

According to the website where I learned about Vanga, one of her predictions for 2024 was a “big country” carrying out biological tests or attacks. But one of the most positive predictions by Vanga for the coming year included “humanity shackling cancer with iron chains.”

Will the wars around the world carry on and get worse? Will we elect the first female president? Will the environmental disasters kill thousands more?

It remains to be seen what 2024 will bring. In any case, we hope you have a safe, healthy and happy new year.