Hello Fellow Travelers!
I was prepared to complain about some new and particularly evil way our country is being violated - destroyed, by the incumbent President. I'll write about it soon because The WORST President EVER is going down and trying to drag anyone he can down with him. This week I saw something else that was so pretty, inventive, musical, colorful, so uniquely American, it made even my Grinchy heart grow! (A little bit) Taking in a gorgeous, autumn, NYC and Al Roker reminded me of why we never stop going forward, leading, improving. I fall down a lot, but I always get back up! Sometimes I land on my feet and I'm never, ever bored. I seem to be "hard-headed". America has fallen and is recovering, recalibrating, reinventing. Of course we can "Build Back Better". We have no choice. Even a parade can remind us of times, places and American traditions that stand the test of time, bring us together. They had a float on which a ballerina danced "Swan Lake" en pointe - it was magical! If we can create a visual masterpiece like that, we can create anything! We'll have a usable vaccine for Covid-19 before 2021! How American is that?
Next week, I'll make more snide comments about the not-soon-enough-for-me-ex-President beaching Jabba-the-Hutt style behind a teensy, tiny, desk, baying at reporters. (Did you see that? He was so orange and porcine and howling with impotent rage. If I was a small and mean sort, I would have thoroughly enjoyed myself. Good thing I'm not! ) This week, however, I'll revel in our irrepressibility, our resilience. One benefit I have as a student of history and a no-risk enthusiast, is perspective. We live a very short time. One season, one year, is nothing.
Another benefit of a life-changing event is change itself. We modify, adapt, conserve to move forward.
I'll probably never go to a baseball game again but I'm hopeful that the MLB will be played in 2021. It will change but be safer, better. Stadiums might not be possible but the game will remain. Pioneers crossing this country, settlers moving west, littered the prairie with china, luggage, furniture. Heavy, useless possessions that were not essential were dumped.
The Donner Party carried (or tried to) heavy wagons overloaded with wooden keepsakes over the Sierras. I've been to the Donner Camp (A Dark Tourist "must" - check out the gift shop) and those poor people were soooo close! Another example of Why Minimalism-Feng Swei(sp?)-Rules! A minimalist would never attempt to drag a dresser in a covered wagon.
An American tragedy, illustrating American stupidity (they took a shortcut), resilience (their children flourished) and character (Mrs. Donner's devotion to her family, she died but her offspring succeeded in Sacramento.) The Macy's TG Day Parade is an American Tradition that was a triumph when we needed, I needed, to see something beautiful, useless, artistic and creative. Before we go back to the current "crisis du jour", I'll look one final time at that brilliant, perfect, imaginary world that celebrates light, fairies, color and music.
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