ENOUGH!
This past week in July of 2003, there seemed to be an ominous cloud of doom shifting to and fro in each day's news.
We all experience weeks such as that, I suppose, and we could do without them very well for the most part. They do serve to remind us of the unsteadiness, brevity, and possibilities of sudden change change in life's patterns which can, and do, change rather suddenly and sharply. This realization, which could stir us to increased activity, I'm sure, but they are, none the less disquieting.
I make no attempt to put them in proper order as to time, but a series of deaths of people who were important to me, fueled the basis misery of the rainy week. Bobby Hackett, Katherine Hepburn, Buddy Ebson ... three great entertainers – gone.
TV, radio, newspapers, on-line from all over the world - and even into space with news of the cause of the “Columbia” disaster- all seemed to directed toward excluding a great deal of trouble and strife everywhere. Flood waters came sweeping through some areas when drought have been the focus of news for months, an unusually strong tropical storm hit the Gulf and raged inland. There was shocking case of a disgruntled worker who turned up at his factory work site in Georgia; opened fire, at random, on fellow workers. Five dead, I think and that many, or more, injured. There was another unit of an entire family of mother and children found shot dead in their home. At Fayetteville, North Carolina, a child, left in a parked car, died and two others were hospitalized.
And, on-and-on it seemed to go.
We are not compelled to be a part of this montage of misery.
When we feel overcome by excessive violence, as we do so often these days in watching new TV shows,. There is an oasis for most people now and then , however, if one can escape the often self-constructed labyrinth of impeding walls, barriers and obstacles. One way, of course, is simply to ”give up” watching TV, or reading the papers. Or, exercise the keyboard less for a day or two.. Curiosity alone, draws us back, however ,and we have to admit we like living, with, among and close to other people.
Back in the days when I was an active newspaper reporter. I can remember believing strongly in the old news-gatherer's maxim which held that “things happen in threes.” I confess I was reminded of that during this past week or so as murder piled on murder and gore, upon gore and more gore.
I can recall covering two train wreaks and , then,waiting for the third one to happen. It did, and proved to be the most tragic of the series, the only one involving loss of lives.
We have, certainly, filled out our three-somes on TV and in the news in general, and it is time for a respite; time to concentrate on other, finer things. We sometime forget that good things happen to us “in threes”. You, as have many of us, have often complained, too, that “summertime TV is all repeats – all reruns!” What that indicates, however, TV people will tell you, is that you have been watching far too much TV during the winter months!
Take time today to select one good thing that has happened to you in recent weeks. Tradition among newspersons hold that you face two more such happy occasions.. Plan for them. Enjoy them.
A.L.M. July 10, 2003 [c634wds]
