I mean, seriously, how can Barnum & Bailey be closing forever? There goes a 146 year old piece of Americana! And all jest aside--the America I have known for all my life, is it really that bad? Because it is disappearing like a really bad game of Jenga, one piece at a time. Before long, children will think of the America I have known and loved as some kind of ancient history! And I'm not talking about the land-line dial-tone phones, the t.v.'s you had to stand up and walk over to change the channel, the strict dress standards at the school, or the excitement of watching the local parade. I'm talking about the respect that neighbors had for one another, the friendliness of people to each other, the slower pace of life, the overall lack of worry about locking the front door, the patriotism that citizens felt for the flag.
And while I am concerned for the future of the country, and definitely other things that are more parts of my personal life, I love those peaceful moments when I don't have to think about anything but how much I'm enjoying the moment.
I hope that we can all take a few moments and go to that peaceful place that gives us serenity more often, where worry isn't a part of the equation. Yes, it's appropriate to voice concerns, to take part in the change that is wanted/needed. But worrying about it is not really going to change anything.
Image - Jerol Garner |