Wouldn't it be nice if ...

Gorda Baths on Tortuga
With Covid-19 running rampant in so many places and us "staying the blazes home" in response to social distancing directives, the need to break free seems to be growing exponentially.  I lament the loss of freedom and the ability to exercise my wanderlust, as do any of you who are reading this.  My plans for May are in utter ruins; a trip to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon carefully planned with excitement now but a thought.  Wouldn't it be nice if the Covid pandemic never happened?

My own musings betray my selfish desires; the disheartened state I find myself in is just a tiny bit of inconvenience compared to the sufferings experienced by so many others.  The news reports daily human casualties and global financial woes which are enough to break the spirit of anyone.  Loss of life, family, job, hope, and freedom has buried the hearts of so many.  Surely there must be something positive to dwell on.  Wouldn't it be nice if there was.

One thing I think we have discovered, something which recurs time and again in light of the human condition, is that in times of trouble people rise to the occasion.  Wars, pandemics, droughts, depressions, and natural disasters tend to bring out the best in people.  True, there are those that seek to take advantage of such situations for personal gain - but I find that they do not represent humanity as a whole.  The true meaning of community tends to emerge from the ashes of defeat.  Those who can help those who cannot.  Isn't it nice that this is true?

No, there is no sense in wishing or closing your eyes to the plight upon us; the best course is to do your best in spite of the difficulties.  Remember things to be thankful for and find things in your life that reflect the blessings you have.  When in trouble, seek help.  Someone will be there.  When you see need, help, for you can be that someone.  There is risk in coming to the aid of others, but it is that very thing that makes a community.  A single person may not be able to do much by themselves, but people bent on succeeding, even thriving, is indomitable.  Isn't it nice that you are part of that group?

So, why have I put a picture of a Caribbean beach on my blog.  It is there to remind us that this will be over, and we can continue on with our lives.  Each trial we have faced has had a beginning, a middle, and an end.  We are in the middle now, the end is coming.  When it does, you can continue doing the things you love.  Won't that be nice?

Thanks for reading.   www.ericspix.com   Eric Svendsen

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I found a black widow spider in a plant pot today

Image
The spider I found is a western black widow spider, one of three species of black widow that occur in North America.  The fact that this one has another red patch on the back of its abdomen above the spinnerettes tells us that it is an immature individual. The one thing that people know about black widow spiders is that they are extremely poisonous.  Their venom is something like 15x more toxic than that of a rattlesnake.  The saving grace is that there is very little venom injected from a black widow bite than what a rattlesnake can deliver.   The good news is that black widow bites seldom lead to death.  You are more likely to suffer nausea, muscle pain, and swelling around the bite.  Symptoms usually last only 12 hours or so.  Death may be a result in people with compromised immune systems or in the very young or the elderly.   In 2018, it was reported that there were 1015 cases of people bitten by black widows.  Of those, there ...
Read more

The passing of a generation

Image
Kathryn's mom and dad with our children, Josh and Leanne. A generation, for North America, tends to be between 20 and 30 years.  During that time a couple will give birth and raise children to see them repeat the pattern as they themselves have done.  Each generation has its own set of standards, values, and ideals based upon their experiences and culture, and some of that is passed down to their offspring.  What changes are the life experiences of the following generation and the new customs and ideals that are blended together as a couple becomes a family. Kathryn's mom passed away a few days ago, she was predeceased by her husband several years ago.  Both of them were the grandparents of my children, the mother and father of my wife, Kathryn.  It was my pleasure to know them and to love them as my own, for to me they were Mom and Dad.  And they were there to welcome my children into the world just as my children were with them in spirit when they left it...
Read more

Hang in there, things will get better.

Image
The Svendsen Family - Eric, Samuel, Leanne, Joshua (top row), Nora, Kathryn, Chanelle, Emma If I could go back, in my mind, to a day in my life when I was really down, it would be nice to be able to see into the future.  If could see things as they are today, with the many blessings that have been given to me, it would give me hope knowing that things wouldn't always be so discouraging.   The message here is we do not know what the future holds.  When things are bad, it is hard to raise your head out of the mire to see beyond the darkness.  There are no guarantees, of course, that things will be better, but I think it is true that fortunes ebb and flow as tides do.  The trick is to see beyond the low points and not be too haughty during the high ones.  I know that, at this moment, things are very good.  What the future holds is unknown, but low and high points are likely in the forecast.   This is why taking satisfaction from the moment ...
Read more