We let our granddaughter Stasia stay up until midnight to witness her first Dropping of the Ball in the Big Apple—I know, child abuse, but we didn't let her toast the arrival of 2017 with anything stronger than iced water, which makes it OK, right?—so we weren't entirely sure of what mood she might be in when Her Majesty awoke on the First. Happily, she was in great spirits, all smiles, all optimism, all jumping for joy. Still, she's learned a little about politics and she's witnessed more than her share of family health problems, so she knows first-hand about challenges and how things don't always go as planned. Amidst the giddy laughter and great expectations, there was also a moment or two of reflection and uncertainty about the future. Even six-year-olds are not immune from that.