Sunday, May 10, 2020

This Crazy World - Virus Time 5/10/2020 Opinion

Seems like the world is now a bit crazier than usual and I'm feeling a bit discouraged.  I'd like to leave and find a perfect place somewhere, but I don't think there is one.  This isolation (thank goodness not total) is harder than I would have imagined.

The political divisions that were bad before are now amplified ten fold.  It is disgusting, just disgusting.  There is barely  respect toward people on opposing sides.  There are conspiracy theories, no real news but the right or left slants (more than vague slants) and opinions as opposed to news.  Theories that are so questionable that I can't believe people can even contemplate them.  


Knowledge about the virus.  I'm afraid they are going to come up with some questionable vaccine.  Something needed now, but I worry about looking back in ten years and saying, Oops, we just didn't know it would have that effect.  Seems everyone is an expert but no one knows anything.  Lots of people who don't think it is serious and take it lightly.  Now, some say let's open up and others want to stay locked in due to fear.   


I can't believe that a security guard, father of six children, was shot to death, over a face mask.  We're seeing so much civil unrest, distrust of the government and "people standing their ground toting their guns on the front steps of state capitals.  I'm a gun owner and have a concealed weapons permit, but I think to do protesting packing your guns is wrong to the core and certainly gives the Brady bunch "ammo." Ridiculous and so dangerous.

Who's in charge, the President, the governors, anyone? This whole thing has been poorly handled and just that in itself is scary.  Seems people who disagree with the official line are fired, many are dying from the virus (medical personnel who had no appropriate PPE)  and then of course there are the doctors in Russia who somehow are mysteriously "falling out of windows" when they have something anti-establishment to say.  Blatant!!!!!!!


How could we possibly have our medical people (any/all) working without proper protection?


How could we possibly have have ANY grocery clerks, who make lower wages, risk their lives so that we could have food in our shopping carts and having been without any protection for so long!!!!!!!!  These folks came in each day and risked their lives  I just could not understand that for over a month I went into my store and they had no masks, gloves, or shield.  This is really front line to me and they had taken no oath.  Be sure and thank them.  I've told them they are heroes which is what I believe.  


Too much TV.  I have never in my life watched so much TV, too much TV.  I ask myself can I watch another show?  Yes, some stupid shows, some good series and some documentaries.  Actually, I am greatful to have this for entertainment.  I just watched a documentary about Human Trafficking that really got me so worked up, it always does.  How can this world have people who can traffic young people, young children, for sex.  How can this be a world where we traffic people for sex, domestic labor, factory and restaurant labor.  


Money and power.  It is said that love of money is the root of all evilAll wrongdoing can be traced to an excessive attachment to material wealth. This saying comes from the writings of the Apostle Paul. It is sometimes shortened to “Money is the root of all evil.”  Not even looking at this as a Biblical saying, but as a human feeling, what happens to people to cause them to use and exploit others.


I'm disheartened, sad, disgusted.  I wish i could pick up the world and shake it.  I want us to be kind, thoughtful, care about others.  The Golden Rule literally could work and without any other laws on the books if we could apply this.  It is so simple:  "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."  It is simple and if we could live by this all laws would truly not be necessary.  We would be kind, trust others, deal fairly, do the right thing.  But when greed, power and the need to be in charge steps in, along with gross amounts of money that can be made, the Golden Rule just won't work.


Mostly at this moment I'm sad.  Discouraged.  I don't know if it is good to feel this way once in awhile, but it doesn't feel good.  Man's inhumanity to man.


I  suppose I could go on and list every ailment and problem we face, but I guess in the end we can only deal with so much.  We can't help everyone, solve every problem.


One ailment to add is the effect that drugs have had on this country and many others.  We all learn that drugs are bad -- right?  We all learned this through parents, schools and saw many movies that never show drugs as glamorous.  How in the world can peer pressure or escapism cause us to play around with these potent killers.  So many kids in foster care due to the drug epidemic and we can only hope they can make it without too many scars.  Grandparents by the millions raising their grandchildren because the parents are unfit.  Recent statistics show there are approximately 3 Million grandparents in this position.

The long term effects of drug use, socially, monetarily and criminally are taking a massive toll.  It isn't just today and how we are dealing with it, but our future generations.  At times this does seem hopeless.  I supposed if there is a demand it will be fulfilled. How can we need this relief from drugs when we do have more than most people would have ever imagined.  Drugs are in every nook, not just the poor and downtrodden, but in all classes and professions. 

Abuse, prisons bursting at the seams (and drugs in the prisons!!!!), gangs who kids turn too to get a feeling of support and belonging, bullying, health issues such as obesity, sugar diabetes, homelessness.  The list goes on and on.  Wish there were easy answers to all of this.

I will turn 70 tomorrow and it is interesting looking back over my life.  I've seen many changes -- great ones, and many horrible ones.  I hope that I have done some good and I've done some bad.  I want to spend the rest of my time trying to understand what I can do for good.  I used to joke with John and say "If I was Queen of the World" I would.......and we'd laugh.  I could share some of my most radical ideas with him and luckily he agreed.  It would be a big job that's for sure.


So I suppose we all take our little parts, each day we choose what we will do, how we will do it.  I think that if you can't do good by taking an action, volunteering, giving, really helping in some way, that people can at least be kind.  As I always say, it doesn't cost you one single penny.  A kind word in this chaotic world can make a real difference in someone's life.  A smile, a compliment, free, easy.  Care about your fellow human being.


In sum, I want to say writing this all down has made me feel better but that would not be the truth.  I actually feel worse as my mind goes to all the problems, and this list is limited.  Will the world become a better place, and I am talking about the world not just America.  We must consider the world, just like the virus did, a global pandemic.  Can you even imagine it?  I want to see a kindness pandemic.


The Earth was able to enjoy our global lockdown.  Animals came back to areas, both land and ocean, they hadn't been in a long time, the Earth took a breathe and it was nice to see a photo of Los Angeles that you could clearly see without the layer of smog.

I used to work in downtown Los Angeles.  Just a few
weeks made this difference, amazing.  Driving into L.A.
from Las Vegas from the mountains I felt zone where
SCUBA gear was needed.  This is so amazing to see.

Didn't "sum" above, but I will here.  I hope we can come out of this realizing how much we need people, how much we missed people, touch and hugs.  I sure missed hugs.  Work to heal Mother Earth.  Please do what you can and be nice.  Don't litter.  Find something you care about and try to make this a better place to live.



Sunrise - Paris


Sunset - Nantes

and between the two I will be nice.


Being nice is as cheap as breathing...........
             Gena Cameron

Here's a cute song:  Be Nice:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3oZQw1f7TY