Post 32/2024. Goshen, Indiana. Catastrophic weather, political upheavals, Coronavirus mutations, stock market volatility, nations in war-like conflict, you’d be hard-pressed not to think life is pretty unmanageable right now. Apocalypse? Armageddon? Nah.
Certainly, there are serious matters afoot. The globe is not in a happy place. Hope, peace, fearlessness, lands flowing with milk and honey, calm, laughter, deep joy seem far away. Such has been the case throughout history’s ebb and flow. Modern life shows maladies mirrored in the past, today magnified almost beyond comprehension.
In King Henry IV, Part I, Shakespeare says, “Doomsday is near; die all, die merrily.” Well, not before Part 2, from which comes this quote: “Rumour is a pipe / Blown by surmises, jealousies, conjectures, / And of so easy and so plain a stop / That the blunt monster with uncounted heads, / The still discordant wavering multitude, / Can play upon it.”
Let’s not stop there. After Henry V, comes the historical period of Henry VI Part 1, 2 and 3, and then Henry VIII: “If I chance to talk a little wild, forgive me; I had it from my father.” That sentiment might apply to me, too, come to think of it. Thanks, Dad.
Shakespeare’s ten English histories from King John to Henry VIII cover an 85-year period of conflict ending in 1455. The conflict included a series of English civil wars. The histories offer tragedy, comedy and everything in-between, one source notes.
I like this word of wisdom concerning knowledge of history as the precondition of political intelligence. It comes from an online essay from the UCLA Public History Initiative, Significance oi History for the Educated Citizen: “Without history a society shares no common memory of where it has been, what its core values are, or what decisions of the past account for present circumstances.”
Look to now
Let’s look back, not to dwell there or return there, but to find a surer footing for our day. A day that’s marked by promise for women, men, children and nature, as in this quote from Henry VIII: “In her days every man shall eat in safety / Under his own vine what he plants; and sing / The merry songs of peace to all his neighbours.” Splendid. An attitude that goes a long way with something good each day, or most days.
One more quote: “The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds; and the pessimist fears this is true.” James Branch Cabell, 1879-1958, (The Silver Stallion, ch 26).
I believe one can view the modern world and its future with confidence, even in face of what many over millennia have seen as apocalypticism. That is, seeing a future characterized by extremely bad future events, cataclysmic natural disasters, cosmic conflict, global disaster, end of the world, doom.
I’m not here to dispute or expand on any of these views. They are valid. I merely want to point out that we do ourselves and the world harm by throwing up our hands on the future. I am here to listen, observe, think, speak and sing, laugh and cry, collaborate and act for a better world.
In my faith-oriented and scientifically-informed world view, why else would God have put me here?
Peace, a tap on the arm, a smile
-John
It's About Now 
Thanks, John. Marty’s peach cake looks good. Nothing Doom & Gloom about that. Hope your visi
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Indeed, Monty. the cake proved delicious as did a follow up bake of peach crisp. Ah, Michigan peaches.
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John, Thanks for the upbeat post. Steve and I were happy to hear that your recent cataract surgery was successful. We’ve been savoring the fresh peaches, too! Hello to Marty.
Susan G
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Thanks Susan. Seeing is believing. Almost at the end of the recovery eye-drop process. Peachy it is.
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Haha- a “peachy” recovery is a good thing!Sent from my iPhone
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