Two For One

The Article I Had to Write and the One I Already Wrote

Photo by SK Yeong on Unsplash

My original article was about California’s 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. But my heart insisted I at least acknowledge my distress over current U.S. and world events.

I’ve had ideas for articles for three years and haven’t stopped writing, but my “word well” went dry this week. The horror I saw on television - the senseless slaughter and abuse of innocent men, women, and children through no fault of their own, and the malcontent in the United States took a toll. Perhaps I needed to express my feelings before I could move on.

Sure, you can say - don’t watch television - and that’s an option - but it’s also burying my head in the sand. War and controversy are a part of our reality right now.

The words of a song from the movie South Pacific come to mind.

You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear,
You’ve got to be taught from year to year,
It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear—
You’ve got to be carefully taught!

You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate—
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
You’ve got to be carefully taught!

Has it always been that way?

My memories of WW11 are vague - I was about seven when it ended, but I remember a few things.

• needing red tokens to get gas

• the shortage of new cars because the military needed rubber for vehicles

• the empty shelves in the grocery store

• having two uncles in the military, and a Dad working long hours at an automotive factory

• riding my tricycle in a neighborhood parade on V-J day, and everyone cheering

I had friends who fought in Vietnam - one was a prisoner of war. They came back but were never the same.

Given what is happening in the United States and abroad, how can I be optimistic? How can I focus on aging well in this environment?

The other day, I played with my 19-month-old great-granddaughter. She is confident, curious, and delightful. What kind of a world are we creating for her?

She and future generations are why we must find a way to teach love rather than hate. I haven’t any good ideas - other than to express my feelings and add to the conversation. Do you?

This link is to the earthquake article if you want to read it.

If you want to contribute to my work,  consider donating to the Alzheimer's Association. This link takes you to their website. The choice is yours.