Tomorrows

There is yesterday. There is today. With hope and perseverance, we will have a tomorrow. It is not guaranteed, of course. Not much is. Especially these days.

As we hover in a world of mad men, we wonder sometimes how we got to this point. I do wonder a lot, but it always comes down to ‘what do we do now?’  I guess that’s logic kicking in. If a fire appears, we put water on it, or smother it with whatever is handy. If it is out of control and we are powerless, we flee.

When the fire is out and we have returned to the site, we assess the damage, lament the losses, and begin the cleanup. As we do this our minds turn to what comes next, what will we rehab on this spot, or perhaps, what will be built in its place. The mind turns to the possible. And suddenly tomorrow is born.

We live with a shuttered federal government. Life goes on. We do what we always do. And so does everyone else. Services continue as needed. Those not needed we do without. It’s OK; we are functioning. Nothing has stopped us.

The stock markets are down; way down. They have sought a value level that is sustainable; the previous heights were not. They were bubbles of possibility with a stock price to match; no substance to support it; they were bound to fall. They have. Nothing else is much changed. Live on. Create your tomorrow. The markets will rise again.

A young woman enters college. She is equipped with a very worthy high school education. Her school helped her with that. But she added to it with wit, curiosity, reading and study of her own. She completed her schooling still wondering what was next. She searched for it, entered college and will continue to explore.

She is making her tomorrows one day at a time. we expect great things from her. She is rooted in music, art, theater, history, math and science. She cares for others. She pushes her limits in every direction. She does this unbidden but for her own inner need. Yes. Her tomorrows will be promising. For her, and for us.

Tomorrows are not guaranteed. Likely they will be there, an empty canvas upon which we can create what we will, what we want; and need. The structures that come from those efforts build careers, institutions, and motivations for others. Tomorrows are contagious. Positives do that. We use them to build toward the horizon of possibility and wonder.

Thus the beat of humanity continues. With or without help. With or without government. But always with others near. Let them in. Include them. Together we can and will build tomorrow.

December 26, 2018