Life vs War

A personal journal and commentary on today’s issues. That’s the subtitle of my blog, View From Here. My journal or diary, personal and up front. And a commentary as well, on the issues that matter today. What issues affect my life? What issues affect the life and times of all mankind? Yes, all of that is my focus.

There is never a time a comment is not forthcoming. Or a feeling. A vibe. The pages fill up quickly. Aging? Lots to write about on that topic! Monitoring the body as it moves through the stages of life, a pain here, a stabbing reminder of our physical limits, and then a rush of laughter over the situation. Yes, it is funny; uproarious, even. If I can’t laugh at life’s foibles and little surprises, then I’m taking life too seriously.

And you are all along for the ride. Perhaps my outbursts of realization is funny to you. Maybe it eases the burdens of growing old. As my brother said the other day, there’s good news and bad news; the good news is we have grown old; the bad news is we are OLD!

So, there are personal messages contained in this blog. There are also ponderings on the meaning of life, the value of life, and the struggle and worth of life. Philosophical musings are interesting. Sometimes fun. Sometimes heart aching. But always interesting. These are the bits and pieces that help us enjoy life and understand it better.

That understanding gives us the pause and the space to think about the issues of the day and place them meaningfully into the context of daily living. What does it matter that hostilities are erupting in various parts of the world? What do those events mean to our lives here in the United States? Should they mean something. What efforts are we making to improve living standards for others wherever they live on the face of the globe? Should we be making such efforts? If so, are we doing enough?

All good questions. A good quest for meaning, too.

I wonder how many of us are on this journey of seeking meaning and truth. Indeed, are meaning and truth the same thing? I guess it depends on how deeply your search for meaning is. Truth comes on the wings of facts and one would suppose all of this is meaning as well. The intersections of facts and life journeys is where meaning resides. But for each it is different; different timing, setting, importance and such. That makes the same things mean different things to different people.

Ever has this been so. It explains why history is easily misread and ever changing.

The solid underpinnings of facts and structure give our lives form, meaning and purpose. A guide for forward motion. Perhaps that is all we can ask. Until, that is, we see people suffering?

One of the things that attracted me to the Clinton Foundation is its interest in the simple things – clean water for the world’s people. So many people have no reliable drinking water. They walk miles with empty pots and jugs to fill them with precious water; then they lug their treasure back to their homes for drinking and cooking. Safe water. Healthy water. At the end of a long walk round trip, not a tap at every sink as in our homes. We take this for granted. But for a billion people water is a precious, scarce commodity. Drilling water wells and building purification systems for villages, and showing them how to do so for their future sustainability, is just one of the functions of the Clinton Foundation.

Healthy food supplies and nutrition is another theme supported by the foundation. And it replicates its programs locally for self-sustainability.

Other improvements such as healthcare systems, clinics, hospitals and portability of same, is an endeavor of the foundation. Year after year showing the way for self leadership, the foundation improves the lives of countless millions of people.

Other charities, foundations and organizations do the same. They do this because it gives their lives meaning, purpose and reward. It is what we were taught to do as kids, too. Help one another. Be kind to one another. Preserve and protect life in all of its forms. We were taught this by our parents and grandparents, and our churches and religions. It is a philosophy of healthy cultures to help others and strengthen them.

This is something worth knowing and appreciating in our lives. A reminder that mankind can and is caring and helpful to others.

But the war mentality lives among us. Syria, Libya, Gaza and Israel, Russia, China and its maritime expansionism…so many threads that point to power and hegemony over others. Control over other human beings for some purpose that is not readily understood. Especially not understood when caring for people and making their lives better is so much more rewarding.

The two sides of life – birthing wellness and happiness, and destruction and death.

Sad this truth is a reality. And so wasteful.

April 17, 2018