Serenity: Mirror Images

What the Doctor Ordered: On your behalf, I have ordered sufficient doses of the following antiviral cocktail: the ability to let go of circumstances beyond your control at the moment, mixed with the corresponding ability to focus on what  you are able and called upon to change, and finally the will to step up in a timely manner. An elixir containing both SERENITY and FORTITUDE. Always in style, yours for the taking, and timely today. And tomorrow.

We Are All Doomed! Well, that's the implicit and many times explicit stated assertions of  those whose profession is to objectively report on what's really happening in our world, as well as those representing our institutions here in our country: "...a nation hopelessly divided...descending into chaos...at war with itself...hapless/helpless in responding to the virus and mounting deaths..." I'm here to refute these claims and to recruit your assistance in doing so. There's plenty of good news to go around in the midst of all the mayhem they refer to -- they forgot to mention all the scientific miracles and countless unexpected acts of humanity that are happening as I write this (see my earlier post regarding Paul Harvey: "It's a great time to be alive..."). Moreover, the kind of world we expect and want for tomorrow begins and ends with you and me...time to look in the mirror.

Strictures, Structures: As we continue to experience various strictures, the shutting down, shutting out, the staying in, all associated with the capriciousness of the pandemic, many of out societal, educational, and medical structures have been challenged. Nothing has been untouched. Some are holding fast whereas others have been shown to be in need of repair. As we hope for and demand change it is timely and fruitful to simultaneously ask what we are expecting from ourselves individually. Are we going to come out of this stronger? Are we looking outwards and expecting of others or are we looking for how we can instead be of help to others in more need? No one is going to celebrate the pandemic but we might as well make the most of this time period, to work on ourselves, before expecting of others...time to look in the mirror.

Blame Game, It's all the Same: I predicted here a few months ago (see "vexing" posts) that, following the herculean efforts of so many biologists, virologists, and other researchers squinting into microscopes throughout the long nights, in order to develop a vaccine that would at least give us a fighting chance against this viral varmint known as COVID-19, there would come a group of people who denounced the efforts and the vaccine on nonscientific grounds, followed by blaming those responsible for distribution. Both predictions are being realized in the news of the past few days. Witness, the news this morning from Europe, where there is grumbling aplenty that correct vaccines are not getting distributed fast enough, with blame aimed at government, NGO's, and the manufacturers alike...followed by news from South America where, understandably in desperate tones, it is about a lack of oxygen supplies (not a new product). Closer to home, we continue to see and hear of our congressional leaders embroiled in conflict about an EX president...time and money that could be spent on _____; you fill in the blank. Time for them to look in the mirror.

Descendant, Ascendant: As we will undoubtedly continue to hear  (those of us who continue to subject ourselves) daily reports we are on the verge of collapsing as a nation and even as a civilization, we are confronted with a simple choice between seeking the lowest denominators that divide us or those aspirational attributes that can sustain us, make us a stronger, united country/world. It's on each of us.

Missed-givings: As we all continue to be tempted to grumble and grouse about how we are being inconvenienced and curtailed (similar to "...over English virus restrictions..." over in the UK), as well as the contentiousness of politics here (similar to "...Ivory Coast clears President Ouattara's contentious third term bid...he ultimately won"), we have the ample opportunity to think of ways in which we can actually give to others. The question I pose here is whether you are making the best use of your own gifts on behalf of others, or will you have some misgivings on what you might have done when this pandemic winds down? Do you come out the other end having learned about some redeeming qualities, or as a 'mere image' of yourself when you went into this? 

"We should expect and demand more" Of who, others or ourselves? Time to look in the mirror.

Brilliantly Conceived: The ideas of SERENITY and FORTITUDE are not that difficult to conceive of but, as they say in the NFL every week, "That play was brilliantly conceived, but not so well executed..." Just ask any Detroit Lions fan around these parts...

"I'm getting there

I can finally stand the man in the mirror I see

I ain't as good as I'm gonna get

But I'm better than I used to be"

   "Better Than I Used To Be" -Tim McGraw, written by Ashley Gorley and Bryan Simpson