Some thoughts from Maggie – This week, I undertook a project that I have been putting off for some time. Over time, I have acquired many personal photographs and those of my family. I have preserved them in large and heavy photo albums that have now proven too heavy to lug around. I have decided that it is time to go through them again and send many of the family photos to my sister and brother. One never takes on a project like this without experiencing some emotion. The family photographs date back to the 1800’s and a few are “tintypes” which are quite interesting. Tintypes were produced in the 1850’s and 1860’s. As a result, I have spent the last few days reliving lives of people I never knew and wondering about their lives and what struggles they went through. The pictures reflect times during the Great Depression of 1929 which caused a severe worldwide economic depression in most countries. The Dust Bowl followed in 1930 and served to further weaken the US economy. Many lost their lives during both events. As I continued with this project, which includes pictures of my grandparents and parents as children and adults, weddings, graduations, births and last images, I experienced the emotions that only history can provide. I do wonder how they would have perceived and handled the challenges of today. Fascinating stuff!
Down the road, when we look back at these current times in pictures and movies, there will certainly be a line drawn in time to define this pandemic. It could more than likely be defined as:
BCV = before Covid-19
ACV = after Covid-19
As with BC and AD, which defined the era based on Christ’s coming and his death, this era may well be defined as the before and the after of this virus. We, as its inhabitants, are beginning to understand that this earth may never be the same. Our rituals and societal interactions will change as we adapt and evolve into something new. The survival of the cell, this earth, and those who inhabit it mandates changes. As we have written before, this may well be our Ice Age, the second coming of something – something that has changed our lives and lifestyles forever.
As it is still necessary to continue to physically isolate, lets’ hope that we can remain socially connected. Be it a challenge, this is not a time to disconnect but rather to connect and reconnect. Again, looking back in history, the English poet John Donne wrote a series of essays when he was seriously ill in the winter of 1623. At that time, Donne compared people to countries and stressed the importance of the interconnectedness of all people. You may recall this excerpt from one of his essays:
No man is an island,
entire of itself;
every man is a piece of the continent,
a part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less,
as well as if a promontory were.
as well as if a manor of thy friend’s
or of thine own were.
Any man’s death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind;
and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
it tolls for thee.
Mankind has seemed to struggle for solidarity throughout our history. Today is apparently no different although today may seem a bit stranger for those living through it. Our current Administration is self-consumed and lacks respect and compassion for others. Concurrently, we see Governors who are stepping up as true leaders and whose desire is purely to protect their states and their people. This is the beginning of a real and profound revolution by the Governors in the Blue States and may be just what we need as a country to survive these times.
It has been hard to recognize us as “united states” in the past months. During this pandemic, the “war time” Administration has consistently provided equipment to states based on their color – black, white, red or blue and Jared Kushner has informed us that the stockpile of equipment is “theirs”. Florida, a Red State, has received items like masks and medications that were not needed while states like New York and Michigan struggle.
Trump, acting as his usual reckless dictator self, continues to defy the Constitution while asserting his “total authority” but as usual presenting no real plan. He belittles the science and the experts who struggle to share the truth with the American people. It is hard to find the humanity in this form of Trump’s government. Trump remains unteachable because he says that he has all the answers. He enjoys watching fights that he has started while never getting his own hands dirty nor taking any responsibility for his actions. Narcissistic rages, dysfunctional leadership, blaming others for the results of his off-the-hip decisions are daily occurrences. While remaining self-consumed, he shows no compassion or heart for anyone else’s pain and suffering. He is a “poor me” and bully on the playground type of person whose lack of leadership is quite daunting as he remains incapable of any positive evolution and dismisses anyone who suggests that he should. Trump has not drained the swamp in DC but has widened and deepened it. Under his leadership, the Florida Governor, a Trump minion, has deemed golf courses, guns shops, and WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) as essential businesses. Could this get any stranger or more dangerous? Whether it is throwing paper towels to those struggling to hold on in Puerto Rico, holding back respirators to Blue States that need them while people are dying, or freezing funds to the WHO, Trump remains consumed by his ratings. his bank accounts and his inability to play golf.
Enter Joe Biden, a selfless man, who is quickly emerging as the leader to defeat Trump in November. Biden and Trump are both in their 70’s but between them there are some very critical differences. Joe Biden, as demonstrated in the past, will assuredly surround himself with proven leaders and experts and will listen and learn from those bright and experienced people. Joe has a history of demonstrating compassion as he has a unique sense of what people need to survive and thrive. He listens, he learns, he listens again, and then he acts. We are hopeful that Joe Biden can pull us from the murky waters of this swamp that Trump has created and has thrown this country into. We hope that Joe will lead us through a peaceful revolution that will take our country back. Clearly, the office of the President should not be one of the dirtiest jobs on the planet but one that functions for all people of the United States and for the world. As we have learned from poets, authors and true politicians, being aware of others pain makes us stronger and more able to live and lead. This is Joe Biden.
Be Kind
GO JOE!
