Reflection

As I wrap presents for my husband, (tomorrow is Father’s Day, after all), my thoughts turn to my own dad. I lost him last December. He had Alzheimer’s but usually still knew who I was. The end was painful to watch. I’m not sure that I’ve even digested or processed, or whatever the appropriate terminology might be, that he’s actually gone forever. I can’t believe it. He had already left in so many ways. But still. The little girl inside me wants her daddy back and I want him back as the man he used to be. This will be my first Father’s Day without him. I know it won’t be any easier for my brother or sister. Dealing with death and loss is such a peculiar process. It occurs to me, I may never get over losing him.

All Rights Reserved. © 2009 by Elizabeth Bradley.

So What

Remember that Billy Joel song, that isn’t so much a song, but a list of what was going on in the world? We Didn’t Start the Fire? The last chorus reads like this:

We didn’t start the fire
 But when we are gone
Will it still burn on, and on, and on, and on…

So, maybe Billy should re-write the song, because DANG, it seems to me we sure do have some new stuff to add to his list. This crappy economy for one thing; General Motors & Chrysler, the downfall of the American car manufacturer. And what about Iran and North Korea, and nuclear threat? Hawaii in peril? Global Warming? Not to mention the HOUSING CRISIS, and unemployment, nutty-gun-toting-murdering-anti-Semite-freaks, with kiddie porn on their computers. Successful movie stars putting themselves in jeopardy with dangerous sex games, hanging themselves in the process. Jet airplanes falling into the ocean for unknown reasons. I could go on and on, but I’ll leave that to the songwriters. Sigh.

I suppose one could argue that the world has always been in a constant state of turmoil, but now that we are so connected up, we here about IT ALL, we KNOW too much! This knowledge can be overwhelming. That’s for sure. I feel powerless in the face of so much mayhem. It’s apparent to me that many choose to bury their head in the sand. So what if people in Iran have no rights. So what if there are no more American cars. So what if grown men prey on little children. So what if people are walking away from their homes in alarming numbers. SO WHAT!!!

We need to care, we really do. We need to voice our opinions. We need to take action. Sure, we can’t change all these things, but we can affect change, in our own little way. Pick SOMETHING. Start small.

Enough ranting for today. I'm still unpacking and have a stack of unopened bills a mile high to attend to. More heavy sighing.







All Rights Reserved. © 2009 by Elizabeth Bradley.