OUR ERRATIC RIVER OF TIME

Several interesting statements have emerged over the past few days, ones that indicate the realities of our lives. Know that these realities, like it or not, resent them or not, are here to stay for the long run. Yet another surge of COVID cases, with hospital wards filling up again. Yet more threats of other pandemics, certainly probabilities in life as we infringe more and more on land belonging to wildlife, where we have no right to be, to build permanent structures that have negative effects on all of us. For sure, the animalistic behavior of too many humans also poses a threat to us, wherever we live.

Time does not stand still, no matter what we think or feel. Many of us felt locked into a time capsule over the past two and a half years, no traveling, isolated physically with perhaps growing mental isolation, and this river of time held us in its grip, allowing for no forward movement in life, even forcing reversal of the current at times.

A flight attendant, representing all of them, spoke candidly. She stated, firmly, that they were "not prepared to accept" the conditions of flying today, all that goes with it, as "the new normal". Can anyone please explain, expand, on what the 'old' normal was? How does it differ, if indeed it does, from the 'new' normal? One was always expected to follow the rules. One was always expected to behave in a civilized manner, be accommodating of and to others, to be a mensch, to know that the plane was not your living room and demanded acceptance of restrictions as normal, part of the gestalt of it all.  

Was it 100%? No, but what highlights the difference between old and new normal is that the acting out today is far more violent, far more political - and ain't that ridiculous - and definitely more frightening as scenarios of terrorists taking advantage of these spoiled brat tantrums to pursue their own agenda. Far out? One might think so, but in today's world? Uh uh.

Today we can read of an aged mother laid off from a long-time job, leaving her in a precarious situation. She had apparently used her own savings to send her sons to school or support them in times of need. Nothing more or less than the actions of the majority of parents. Much is made of her sacrifice, though her layoff was pandemic caused and not ageism, and in raising her sons, we are told they were two Black sons. Really? One raises one's children no matter their color so why the emphasis here, the capitalized Black, and as an aside, they most definitely appear more White than Black and who the hell cares. They were her sons, she did her best by them, had problems due to that, and her son stepped up to the plate. Great. What is expected. Parents took care of us and now the tide of time, the currents of the river deliver a change to the normal, though most definitely not 'new' new. 

What is new in this changing world of ours is the fact that we are placing our emphasis on the wrong items, exacerbating the situation rather than smoothing the snarls out, clearing the river of blockades, allowing for the current to flow evenly, with mostly beneficial progress on its journey through our lives.

So you have to wear a mask to protect you and others. Grow up! There are far more existential questions around, ones that definitely impede the smooth flow of that river. Why not insist that our supposed political leaders act like the grownups they are supposed to be. Why not insist they refute, deny, purge the party of its growing fascistic behavior and members? Why not demand clear policies for the nation, not for the Great Divide. What will we do when the Ukraine is invaded, for that will happen as Putin is simply following historical imperative, modeling after Hitler who did the same. 

Will we enter a war, a possibly totally life changing war to defend that nation? Personally, I am not a fan of Ukraine simply because of their enthusiastic collaboration with Nazi forces to murder the Jews, steal their belongings. Nor has that anti-Semitism lessened any over the years. Be that as it may, do we abide by our treaty with Ukraine, with NATO? What do we do? Certainly, a topic more worthy of attention than the rabid focus on celebrities and their divorces or the family quarrels of the Royal family, just a family, as are most of us.

We have fought the river of time at the wrong bends, raised the harmful effects of its changed and changing course. We have forgotten that Nature has its own normal and we must integrate smoothly with it. But we don't, do we? Will we ever learn? Who the hell knows. What I do know is that if we do not grow up, stop playing with words of excuse, that worse will follow, more so than no. Our rules of conduct have frayed, our inner restraints wearing away. What is next? Beware, for the 'new' normal might simply be an 'old' normal on steroids. Not a pretty picture. Not at all.