Today is 'Thanksgiving Day' in the U.S. and families all over the U.S. are re-uniting, spending time together, enjoying good company, watching football games and eating lots of good food -often too much! Even though the day is particular to Americans, the sentiment is shared in most culture, but on different days and at different times and in their own way.

While the terrorism events of the last few weeks have demonstrated the worst of our nature; we have seen as well our best as people around the world have supported the French people in this difficult moment of their history. The philosopher Hegel was perceptive when observing a century after the French Revolution how history, ideas, progress do not advance in a smooth line, but through the conflict of ideas. Thesis leads to antithesis and then a "synthesis" - a new thesis emerges from the conflict and progress advances. Our challenge is to find the positive in the negative, to see positivity and negative, crisis and opportunity, good and bad, yin and yang, as all part of a holistic and natural process of things. This is something that Chinese philosophy also captures very well.

It is thus important for us not to get too "down" at the recent turn of events in the world. The same is true in our personal lives. Most of us have much to be thankful for - I certainly do. In addition to my very supportive and loving family, I have had the honor and joy of getting to know many friends all around the world, especially in my last three years working in China. There I have met so many wonderful and generous people from whom I have learned so much.