Digesting 2017: A year bookended by despair and hope

As years go 2017 may take longer to digest than even the richest, high-calorie Christmas Day dinner.

The year is bookended by, first, a deep pessimism that approached distress. However, as the prospect of longer, brighter days moves ever closer, there is a sense that there may be change on the wind, that we can dare to be optimistic about what might lie ahead — but only if we learn and apply the lessons, especially the economic lessons, of our recent past.