Published Aug 19, 2021 by Rick Cundiff
Some days it just seems like there’s way too much going on in the world. And that what is going on is bad.
Lord knows it’s easy to get caught up in concerns about the pandemic, Afghanistan, inflation, bad weather caused by climate change, and everything else. It’s hard not to feel despair sometimes.
But it’s also too easy to forget about all the positive things going on all around us every day. There are amazing things happening that we just take for granted.
If I want to go from Florida to California today, I get on a plane and a few hours later, I arrive. The same day.
Big deal, you say? Well, my grandmother went from Kentucky to California when my grandfather was in the Navy. She was 16, and traveled with their infant daughter – alone.
It took three days by train to reach her destination. I’m sure she would have appreciated the difference.
Speaking of Florida, would you have wanted to be here in the days before air conditioning? I sure wouldn’t.
And of course, it goes far beyond inventions. My grandfather served in the Navy in World War II. That was surely a challenge greater than anything we face today. There’s a reason they call his the Greatest Generation.
Let’s move forward a bit. The 1950s brought us the nuclear arms race, “duck and cover” drills, McCarthyism. The 1960s brought us Vietnam, upheaval at home, and the generation gap. The 1970s brought us the resignation of a president, 20% interest rates and Americans held hostage in the Middle East.
Now I’m not saying today is perfect, or even particularly wonderful. My point is that every generation, every decade has had its challenges, its problems, its catastrophes. They take different forms, but the challenges are just as difficult, and likely have been since the beginning of time.
Having said that, we have more options today, in terms of transportation, music, food, drink, health care, literature, careers and more, than at any time in history.
So while it’s easy to focus on the hard stuff, it’s important that we not lose sight of the good stuff too. It’s never been easier to communicate with the entire world, and now is a perfect time to expand your horizons. Look around. See what you’ve been missing.
Then if you’re so moved, put your thoughts on a patch. Doesn’t matter if it’s positive or negative, just put it out there for the world to see what you’re thinking. Generate a little bit of discussion, as I’m trying to do here.
In the words of Journey, don’t stop believin’ my friends.
