Nigel Calder wrote a book called Unless Peace Comes in 1968. A forlorn hope. Wars have been fought since the beginning of civilization. 1968 was a year with assassinations, and rioting on the streets of Chicago. Factionalism and hate have always existed. We carry on and pretend that all is well. People living in Southern California know serious problems, and bad weather are somewhere else.
September 1, 1939 was the start of WWII. W. H. Auden used that date as the title of a poem. A line of his poem has something else that might be wishful thinking. This is the line, “We must love one another or die.” The golden rule of treating others as you would have them treat you is often more honoured in the breach than in the observance.
Now we have holidays to celebrate. Halloween was mainly for kids, and candy manufacturers. The candy bars are much smaller than they once were due to the scarcity of cocoa on world markets. There are always causes to rejoice in Thanksgiving. Major holidays include a day off from work. People have those to look forward to. Maybe 2024 will surprise us with a much better new year.
Deuel Woodward resides in Chula Vista.
