From a soaring economy that surprisingly remains airborne to tragedies so large they became national news, Utah endured a lot in 2007. It was a year of resilience, in more ways than one.

It also was a year that reinforced the need to be prepared for the unexpected.

Utahns needed resilience to bounce back from a senseless and random mass murder at Trolley Square in February. No one ever will understand why 18-year-old Sulejman Talovic decided he needed to open fire on people two days before Valentine's Day. He killed five and wounded four, and he left an entire metro area in shock.

From that tragedy, however, came stories of heroism and compassion, and of a genuine outpouring of love toward the victims and their families. In the modern United States, a mass shooting is, unfortunately, not uncommon. This year alone, the Trolley Square crime was eclipsed nationally by a shooting at Virginia Tech, in which a gunman killed 32. People have begun to understand that the unexpected in daily life can sometimes be the unthinkable.

And "unthinkable" describes the horrible disaster at the Crandall Canyon Mine in August, in which six men were trapped and eventually abandoned, and three others were killed by a cave-in while attempting a rescue. A seismically sensitive mountain, combined with an outspoken and unpredictable mine owner, made this a long and emotionally draining ordeal for many Utahns. It was a painful and tragic one for the families of the victims. For everyone else, it also served as a reminder of how much the economy, and the nation's standard of living, owes to people who are willing to work in mines.

Speaking of the economy, a year ago we lauded 2006 as the year when Utah's economy heated up to record levels. Fortunately, that pace continued in 2007, with unemployment remaining extremely low, wages rising and the housing market staying relatively strong. This was significant news, considering much of the rest of the nation was struck by the blunt force of a subprime loan scandal that sent real estate values plunging and foreclosures soaring.

Home sales slowed considerably in Utah, but the latest reports show real estate here continues to appreciate, just as the economy continues to grow. But if people are wise, they will take a lesson from their less fortunate neighbors elsewhere and make smart financial choices. Those should include getting out of debt and living within one's means. No one knows how long the good times will roll in Utah, but there is no defense to bad times quite as effective as prudence and savings.

Nationally, it was a year of uncertainties, as well. Politicians began scrambling in earnest for a chance at the White House. Meanwhile, the war in Iraq seemed to reach a turning point when President Bush's troop surge began to control violence and establish order. This week's assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan, however, was a troubling development in what looks to be an endless struggle against terrorism.