Maybe There's "The Rest of the Story"

 A Plea to Calm Down

Lots of sturm und drang about Donald Trump's recent appearance at Arlington Cemetery. 

I've seen memes, posted even by friends I know (or thought I knew), actually wishing for Trump to die a horrible death because of this supposed faux pas. To say I'm disappointed in my friends might be an understatement. 

 If I'm understanding the situation correctly, it's not Trump's behavior that should be questioned here, but that of President Biden and Vice President Harris, as well. Apparently, all three of these officials were invited by members of the Gold Star families who lost loved ones at Abbey Gate, yet neither Biden nor Harris even accepted the invitation (see article, below). Needless to say, some of these families are furious at the president and vice president. 

This is less a rant than a plea to friends and acquaintances. 

Maybe wait for all the facts to come in before reacting to the latest news. 

Consider accepting the possibility that maybe there's "the rest of the story." 

Maybe take a moment to re-read "Desiderata," still lovely after all these years. Published in 1927, the poet encouraged us to "go placidly amid the noise and haste" and to "keep peace in your soul." 

He reminded us that, "With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world." 

Maybe try to remember, too, the words of our mothers--the wise ones, anyway--"This, too, shall pass." 

I will try to do the same.

**** 

This, Too, Shall Pass, or, Why I Prefer Trump to Harris

A Time for Choosing 

My best and only answer to why I’d prefer Trump to Harris is that, at least if Trump is elected, the press would “do its job.” With Harris (or any Democrat, for that matter), the press is actually doing everything but its job. It’s become advocates for the party, both in terms of how they cover the candidates and what they choose not to cover. 

When a society loses the press to party loyalty, we’re in trouble. Frankly, that’s what I fear more than a Donald Trump administration. 

Trump will be gone in a while. We can recover from him. I don’t think we can recover from the corruption of the Fourth Estate.

 Once upon a time 

... the act of rescuing someone who had been kidnapped and held hostage was considered a truly noble, maybe even heroic, act of daring courage. It may even still be—unless the rescuers and those being rescued are Jewish? 

Why is that? Four Israeli hostages were rescued—Israeli military operatives literally swept in during broad daylight, knocked on doors, announced who they were, and basically said, “We’re here to rescue you." One rescuer apparently asked permission to hoist the female hostage over his shoulder. 

 

Like, pretty damn amazing, right? 

And yet. The response I’ve heard runs along the lines of, “Yes, glad they were rescued, but what about the innocent civilians who were killed during the operation?” 

Glad they were rescued . . . but?

Who talks like that?

Who thinks like that? 

One wants to ask, If it had been your son, your daughter, your grandchild who was rescued, would that be your response? If they say, "of course," why do I not believe them?

During the rescue, civilians happened to be in the crossfire. The loss of innocent life is a tragedy. Some lives were lost, but not all were innocent. Hostages were being held in people’s homes. Regular people, not military. People who cook dinner for themselves and carry on with their lives while somewhere in the house a hostage is being held captive. We'll learn--are already learning--what they endured during those months while regular people carried on with their lives downstairs.

So when the Israeli military plans its rescue strategy for hostages being held captive among a civilian population, it has to factor in the very real possibility that regular people may be at risk. 

I agree, this is tragic. But this is also intentional. This is a military tactic of Hamas. Today's Wall Street Journal has a front-page article explaining that this is the Hamas leader's strategy to gain world sympathy. Those who chide the Israeli military are chiding the wrong actor in this tragedy. 

This rescue could have gone so bad. Indeed, it almost did. The next time (if there is a next time) the military attempts a rescue it may not go as well. And who knows if this rescue portends an even worse fate for the remaining hostages?

But for just a few minutes, can we not at least look at the faces of those who were literally plucked from their corner of hell-on-earth and simply say a quiet word of thanks…and nothing else?

***

Gaza Chief's Brutal Calculation: Civilian Bloodshed Will Help Hamas

June 10, 2024

Wall Street Journal 

Are We All Just Walking Each Other Home?

Is Today Poetry Saturday? 

For my birthday last month, a friend gave me a book, A Poem a Day. This morning's selection (Saturday, February 17, 2024) was by Christina Rossetti.

The book’s editor always includes a brief footnote, some bit of trivia or detail about the poet or poem. Today’s footnote said Rossetti found the world evil: “I cannot possibly use the word ‘happy’ without meaning something beyond this present life.”

I’ve always liked the few Christina Rossetti poems I’ve read. Despite a childlike quality to them, they seem to convey wisdom or insight. I didn’t know that about her, that “she found the world evil.” I guess if you think about it, it is, which is why, perhaps, the Bible says believers are called to be light in the darkness.

Anyway, today’s poem, "Up-hill," I thought quite lovely. Another variation on the Ram Dass line, We’re all just walking each other home?

****

Poem a Day: Vol. 1: 366 Poems, Old and New - One for Each Day of the Year, by Karen McCosker (Editor), Nicholas Albery (Editor)

Running Out of Time

 Musings on Tim Urban's "The Tail End" (link below)

The "tail end," as in, putting our entire lifetime into perspective: the tail end of time together with parents (if they’re still with us), with siblings, with friends. 

 

As in…maybe we can only count on one hand or two how many more days we spend with these people.

As in, maybe we’re running out of time. 

A snippet from Urban's article: 

“Relationships. I’ve been thinking about my parents, who are in their mid-60s. During my first 18 years, I spent some time with my parents during at least 90% of my days. But since heading off to college and then later moving out of Boston, I’ve probably seen them an average of only five times a year each, for an average of maybe two days each time. 10 days a year. About 3% of the days I spent with them each year of my childhood. 

Being in their mid-60s, let’s continue to be super optimistic and say I’m one of the incredibly lucky people to have both parents alive into my 60s. That would give us about 30 more years of coexistence. If the ten days a year thing holds, that’s 300 days left to hang with mom and dad. Less time than I spent with them in any one of my 18 childhood years. 

When you look at that reality, you realize that despite not being at the end of your life, you may very well be nearing the end of your time with some of the most important people in your life . . . it turns out that when I graduated from high school, I had already used up 93% of my in-person parent time. I’m now enjoying the last 5% of that time. We’re in the tail end. 

It’s a similar story with my two sisters. After living in a house with them for 10 and 13 years respectively, I now live across the country from both of them and spend maybe 15 days with each of them a year. Hopefully, that leaves us with about 15% of our total hangout time left. 

The same often goes for old friends. In high school, I sat around playing hearts with the same four guys about five days a week. In four years, we probably racked up 700 group hangouts. Now, scattered around the country with totally different lives and schedules, the five of us are in the same room at the same time probably 10 days each decade. The group is in its final 7%. So what do we do with this information?”

 ***** 

I don't know, honestly, what to do with this information. 

 

My parents are already long gone.

My siblings and in-laws are nearby but busy with their lives. Holidays are our best bet--one, maybe two a year?

My closest friends are nearby-ish, but like everyone, they're busy with their own lives and families.

My three adult children live out of town/out of state. We text frequently but see seldom each other. Maybe a few times a year, if we plan well. 

My (so far) one and only grandson lives out of state. He's already walking and causing all kinds of mayhem which I see in pictures and videos. I'm missing out. Should I up and move?

It's the tail end of time. 

And I'm running out of it.

*****

The Tail End, by Tim Urban (Wait But Why)