It's a Mad World

In the early 1960's the makers of the film, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" had something a little different in mind. Their 'Madness' was of a wacky, crazy, exhilarating type. It was something to be proud of - in an offhanded way.

It is my increasingly jaundiced opinion that one 'Mad' is all we would need in the title today, because that Madness would be of an entirely more evil and destructive kind.

It would be the Madness of the poorly educated, the desperate, and the brutal. It would be the Madness of the opportunists who seek to harness the unhappiness of those three.

When I think of the magnitude of the tasks inherent in combating this Madness, I quail.

When I search for signs of thoughtfulness and composure in our leaders, I despair.

When I reach out to my fellow citizens I sometimes see things I would rather I had never seen.

Hope is not all lost. There have been worse, or at least equally bad, times for this world. And our (my) views of the leaders that got us through those times is rose-colored by historical edits of what was reality. In contrast, we see the here and now in ugly clarity.

So, long after most of us are gone from this world, I hope there will be people somewhere living peacefully. People who have hope of a better future for their children and a reasoned respect for their leaders - a respect earned by action.

I can only hope in this future, since this surely is not the case now ...

Slow Ride

I rode very slowly today. On a motorcycle. On one of the greatest roads for riding in America.

But slow was what I was feeling.

Maybe because the rest of life has been moving very fast: daughter off to college; increasing responsibility at work; a year's worth of "To Do's" piled up - you know ...

Sometimes the best reaction to perceived excessive speed is to slow down.

But on a ride?

Speed on two wheels is one of the better ways I've found to clear my head and re-center. Just enough speed to force away all extraneous thoughts, but not too much to introduce distracting fear.

But not today. Nothing could drive the thoughts - the worries if you will, away, and so I guess I entered a reverse feedback loop and slowed down. Speed clears the mind, a cluttered mind slows you down.

Seems like a quandary, but if the hypothesis is true, so is the cure ... ride faster next time. Twist that throttle and leave those pesky worries behind.