Oct. 15, 2001 - 06:04 MDT

p>THE WONDERING JEW

History

From all I have read in my life about life in troubled times, there is one thing that seems to address life situations as they should be reacted to by sane people.

Not to go too deeply into history, but for instance the British people in World War Two, clearing away the debris, making the best of the conditions and going on with life as near to right and proper as they could make it. I think that maybe their stiff upper lip hid a grin.

Everything I have read keeps pointing to not only people going about survival, but people snatching whatever comfort and security they could from what they could achieve from available resources.

It makes sense to me to attack life in that manner, rather than sink in depression, worry and fright. Even those who lose loved ones have to emerge from sadness sometime, have to go on and make their way the best they can.

I can't see hate as a viable life plan either, I think hate is one of the causes of the world's trouble from the beginning. Hate, envy and jealousy, the triple whammy that tend to make life miserable for those who harbor any or all of those feelings.

What would I do if sudden catastrophe hit home to me ? Grieve for any dear ones now gone, of course. But while grieving, trying to secure food, water, clothing and shelter at the very least. Gracefully and thankfully accepting offered help and trying to do what I could to help others out a bit. Try to find the time to read a bit, gather with others and hold pleasant conversation, or at the very least meaningful conversation in order for me to understand that I am not the only person so afflicted.

Between reading history and living through the Great Depression I wonder, has this attitude adjusment come only to those of us who traveled the same route ?

Who the hell do I think I am ? Pompous old geezer spouting balderdash ? Senile, drooling, drivel vendor ? Maybe some of, "All of the above."

But it seems to me that each of us eventually either has to make the effort to survive -- prime --, or be a walking corpse containing misery, sadness and defeat.

It is not up to me to tell someone how to gather their forces, rather it is up to that person to go about it in the way most suitable to coping with circumstances faced by that individual.

I do hope others in trouble can bring themselves to do as I am, trying to learn from History . . . . . . . .

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