Thanks for this, Greg. It brought tears, but that’s not saying much in my case in these days. This miserable, hellacious four years is grinding toward its supposed end but with the promise of yet more frustration and nastiness still to come. While we may expect great relief in having a competent leadership again, it appears that the opposition will seek to maintain, even enlarge on its assaults on the truth, justice, and the American way. I weep frequently these days and have been now for a while, usually out of the blue (so to speak) and without a known trigger, because life is difficult enough under regular conditions even when we’re not being constantly assaulted and threatened by a madman and his minions. It’s been the most terrible two years for my family, having lost my 15 y.o. grandson, and now so many in grief for the hundreds of thousands of family and countrymen to this hideous disease, actually promoted by the hellbeast in our W.H. The end of a terrible era is just ahead, but another is coming when resistance may give way to relief and we may find ourselves finally able to process and name these feelings and accept the pain all about us.
Thanks for this, Greg. It brought tears, but that’s not saying much in my case in these days. This miserable, hellacious four years is grinding toward its supposed end but with the promise of yet more frustration and nastiness still to come. While we may expect great relief in having a competent leadership again, it appears that the opposition will seek to maintain, even enlarge on its assaults on the truth, justice, and the American way. I weep frequently these days and have been now for a while, usually out of the blue (so to speak) and without a known trigger, because life is difficult enough under regular conditions even when we’re not being constantly assaulted and threatened by a madman and his minions. It’s been the most terrible two years for my family, having lost my 15 y.o. grandson, and now so many in grief for the hundreds of thousands of family and countrymen to this hideous disease, actually promoted by the hellbeast in our W.H. The end of a terrible era is just ahead, but another is coming when resistance may give way to relief and we may find ourselves finally able to process and name these feelings and accept the pain all about us.
Seventeen more days . . .
. . . and counting
I went down to the river,
I set down on the bank.
I tried to think but couldn't,
So I jumped in and sank.
I came up once and hollered!
I came up twice and cried!
If that water hadn't a-been so cold
I might've sunk and died.
But it was Cold in that water! It was cold!
I took the elevator
Sixteen floors above the ground.
I thought about my baby
And thought I would jump down.
I stood there and I hollered!
I stood there and I cried!
If it hadn't a-been so high
I might've jumped and died.
But it was High up there! It was high!
So since I'm still here livin',
I guess I will live on.
I could've died for love—
But for livin' I was born
Though you may hear me holler,
And you may see me cry—
I'll be dogged, sweet baby,
If you gonna see me die.
Life is fine! Fine as wine! Life is fine!
—Langston Hughes
1949
Great choice. Thank you, Greg.