Seems like everyone I know is blue and grouchy and angry; can’t say as I blame them. But it’s time to turn a corner, because the future’s just as long as ever, and we need joy to face it. Let me see if I can help.
Canada’s first few crocuses are up!
Yes, I did blog about the spring crocuses in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 (twice!), 2009 (twice!), 2010 (twice!), 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Clearly I need to remediate 2016’s lacklustre performance.
Once again, as I often do, I should echo the question from John Crowley’s awesome Little, Big (seriously, one of the best books): “What is Brother North-Wind’s secret?” The answer: “If Winter comes, Spring can’t be far behind.”
This winter, our discontent has been political mostly. Lots of wars and lies and pain to be sad about, but most sharply felt: 62,985,106 Americans, about 25.4% of the potential electorate, thought it was OK to vote for That Man.
I’m sad too. And about Syria and Brexit and our sick elderly cat and my children’s foibles and global warming and destructive inequality and the fact that people still in 2017 think God wants them to kill other people.
But enough of that; today we’re in this blog’s silver-lining department. So here are a few more things to smile about.
What with the Women’s March and so on, the angry and disappointed have learned that they’re not crazy and not alone.
The explosion of unrest and anger has educated people around the world as to how non-monolithic America is.
The proportion of people around the world who’ve realized that Elections Have Consequences is noticeably higher than a few months ago.
Often I hear good new music on the car radio while I’m driving around. For example, I recommend Touch by July Talk.
There’s good old music too! The Rolling Stones made a pure blues record and it’s not terrible.
There are a lot of good books being written. For example, I recommend Do Not Say We Have Nothing.
There’s a lot of really good stuff on TV. For example, I recommend The Expanse.
Look around you; there are good people in the world.
Well, and another crocus.
I’ll watch the forecast for sunshine once they’ve
opened,
and take some more.
Seriously, let’s grant that there are really unhappy trends stinking up the landscape. And that if we want to be part of the solution, it’s going to be a lot of uphill work with, doubtless, downhill slips. But it’s worth doing, and for reasons of mental health, and long-term survival, and pure propaganda, I’m going to try to walk into 2017 with a smile.
Comment feed for ongoing:
From: John Cowan (Feb 19 2017, at 15:11)
Two more:
The Women's March was carried out even in Antartica, or at any rate on a ship slightly offshore. Sensibly, the participants marched sitting down, holding up their signs.
The U.S. media, after decades of pure he-said/she-said, have begun to call a lie a lie right there in their news articles.
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From: David Megginson (Feb 19 2017, at 15:31)
*Catherine the Great* on the illusion of Absolute Power: _«‘In the first place my orders would not be carried out unless they were the kind of orders which could be carried out … I take advice, I consult … and when I am already convinced in advance of general approval, I issue my orders and have the pleasure of observing what you call blind obedience. And that is the foundation of unlimited power.’»_
Her husband (predecessor) and her son (successor) didn't understand the reality of autocracy, and both were assassinated after short, unpopular reigns. Catherine lived to old age, and died of natural causes.
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From: Dave Pawson (Feb 19 2017, at 23:42)
Beat me to it again. Ours our through, but nowhere near flow(e)r Tim. Most growth on the garlic!
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