The Awesome Advantage of Living Through the Past
Have you noticed that every new generation feels they know the absolute best way for everyone to live? I remember I felt that way when I graduated from college in 1976. The world was my oyster, and I was going to conquer it in a few years. Such hope. Such audacity. Such confidence. Such silliness. We all know that life has a different perspective than a twenty-one year old.
It is true that the new generation leaves a mark on humanity that can last for a very long time. Those accomplishments astound the world. Then, the world moves on and those miraculous happenings are relegated to history. Many of us remember Jack Kennedy’s presidency with great admiration, although he was not a perfect person. No one is. He put us on track to land on the moon. He stopped the Soviet attempt to put missiles in Cuba. Then his life was cut short by an assassin. Our government still has those records sealed. It was sixty years ago, so one might wonder why the facts are buried. I do not want to speculate, but the circumstance is interesting.
Then there was Richard Nixon. That presidency failed when he famously said, “I am not a crook.” He paid for his actions by resigning. Speaking of crooks, it is helpful to note that our National Debt was $475 billion when Nixon left office. Compare that to today’s $31 trillion. I guess we know there were bigger crooks out there waiting for us.
My favorite modern president was Ronald Reagan. He was conservative like me. However, he also caused the collapse of the Soviet Union by convincing the Soviets that we were far ahead of them in nuclear warfare capability. Then they overspent in order to catch up. They ran out of money first, and freedom reigned in Eastern Europe for the first time in decades.
My point is that even these presidents did not change America forever. They did great things and bad things. They affected the world greatly for a time. Then, time went on. Some improvements stuck. Others faltered. The massive machine that is the United States moved forward.
A similar analogy is music. Most of my favorite artists were from the sixties, seventies, and eighties. Much of that music has faded from the spotlight. Young people today probably never heard of my favorite bands, like Blue Oyster Cult, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and The Moody Blues. Some artists have passed the test of time. The rest did not.
The point of all this is simple. Times change. Tastes change. Leadership changes. The only constant is the passage of time.
I relish my past. America was and is a fabulous country. Sure, bad things happen. That has always been the case. The key is to remember the old newspaper adage: “If it bleeds, it leads.” Almost no one prints good news, yet it surrounds us every day. That is one reason I almost never watch the news. The media is solely focused on the negative. Yuck! Of course there are bad incidents all the time. With over three hundred million people, no bail reforms, and an open border, what else should we expect? Still, in the grand scope of things, most of what is happening is wonderful.
Children play with their friends. People fall in love. Couples get married and start a new life together. People meet with friends and family to share memories and laughs. Neighbors help their neighbors and foster friendships. We celebrate birthdays and holidays together. Those who believe pray for guidance from above. Those good things are what fill my mind. Sure, bad stuff happens. In the grand sweep of our lives, those are just blips (hopefully), and we move on to the next celebration. Enjoy every minute you can. All the best.
I never watch the news. I cannot afford to absorb that negative energy. During the pandemic, I fell in love with watching Some Good News with John Krasinski. There was nothing but good news on it, and I loved seeing people sharing the good in the world. We need more of that. Great post, Karl!
Yvette M Calleiro 🙂
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
Yvette, the news has become too full of opinion for me to believe anything they say. Instead, I look for the good around me first. Loving the people in my life makes a huge difference in how I feel about life and humanity at large. Sure, lots of bad things happen every day somewhere on this planet. That is inevitable with seven billion people running around. The good stuff still far outweighs the bad. I focus on that.
Hi, Karl! This was such a beautiful post – and so beautifully written! It gave me pause. Yes, the only thing that is certain in life is death, taxes, and change. I don’t necessarily relish change all the time, but, there are those moments when I welcome it with open arms. Thank you for reminding me of all the beautiful things this life holds!
Great job, Karl!
http://www.nonniewrites.wordpress.com
Thank you for the kind words, Nonnie. Too often, I think we get caught up in the noise around us. Once in a while, I need to instead reflect on the good things. I used to be a news nut. News reporters have become no divisive and opinionated that I lost all interest. The good far outweighs the bad. When we remember that, we can be calm and just enjoy each day.
I love your outlook, Karl, and I share it. The world has gone through many cycles, many regimes, good leaders, bad leaders, wars, economic collapse and economic plenty. We humans are still here, living our lives and finding our joy in the lives we live on a micro scale in a macro world. I think of it this way. God, who created the entire universe and every photon in it, whose planet earth is covered with billions of people, knows each of us by name and knows the number of hairs on our heads. He knows us by name, and He loves us. Everything else pales in comparison.
Blessings!
Patty
Patty, that is so true. Humanity moves in cycles. Each of us lives a life. We make good and bad choices along the way. Hopefully, the good ones outweigh the bad. Often, the bad choices lead to better outcomes. As I read your post, I was reminded of the first episode of The Chosen, when Jesus quoted Isaiah 43.1 to Maria Magdalene. He does know us better than we know ourselves. I think that is totally awesome!
Nights in White Satin… Now I can’t get the song from playing in my head. I’m more of a pessimistic than you are, so Moody Blues has always suited me best. Different strokes for different folks. And the wheel keeps on turning…
Susanne, the Moody Blues had a big impact on me. My favorite was “I’m Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band).” I hear it playing in my head as I write this. My connection to music is still strong. I just have no desire to listen at this stage of life.