Good news and bad news as they say. Easy to find the bad news. Ian has touched down in Florida. Prelim pics show extensive damage and flooding because of surges and extremely high winds. My heart goes out to those who suffer. Climate change is most likely the cause of the increased frequency and intensity of these storms and similar events. You can do the search yourselves. Or read scientific reports. And please, don’t ask anyone who stormed the Capitol on 1/6. They’ve got as much brain power as the Great Grifter whose financial acumen in defaults, stiffing vendors, and walking away from bills is now making it difficult to find a firm to scan the secret and classified documents he stole from the White House.
Maybe #45 will claim they followed him home. “Honest, I was just playing this wooden tube with holes in it, and they rolled up their tails and came after me. Did I tell you people said I was even better than Miles Davis?” Sorry, but Donnie was not a friend of the environment. It didn’t make him any money.
The good news about bad news is that it should make us count our blessings. If we’re high and dry and not in the path of a hurricane that should be easy. Think a bit. For any of the plusses I have, I like to think they need to be balanced with a good deed that goes out. I’m sure there are charities that are assisting flood victims that can use donations. Or payback locally through your interaction with others. Random acts of kindness are all deposited in a universal account. What goes round, comes round, and perhaps, if the hurricane is going around in one direction, your good deeds will go around in the other direction and help slow down Ian’s extreme winds.
Perhaps it’s time to back off from some of the more violent rhetoric. Disengage in political debate with extremists (both sides). It’s a new religion – ultra-right and ultra-left each claiming they’ve found the tablets and the true god. But if you wish to ask a question, try this one for both yourself and the opposition: will your position make it better for everyone and not just the chosen few?
As for our own actions and thoughts: How are we doing? Which is to say, I need to examine how and what am I doing. How do my words and actions impact my immediate family and neighbors? Because here in the Midwest, I can’t stuff sandbags down in Florida and I shouldn’t be sandbagging those around me.
As I said, just a couple of thoughts.
Keep your prayers with those everywhere that need them and continue to do random acts of kindness.
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Ken was a Professor of Mathematics, a ceramicist, a welder, and an IBMer until downsized in 2000. He taught yoga until COVID-19 decided otherwise. He continues writing, living with his wife and beagle in Shorewood, Wisconsin. He enjoys chamber music and mysteries. He’s a homebrewer and runs whitewater rivers. Ken is a writer and his literary works can be found at https://www.kmkbooks.com/
He welcomes feedback on his articles and can be reached at havokjournal@havokmedia.com.
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