Holidays like the 4th of July are difficult for me. On one hand I am happy to honor our country and its peoples. On the other hand the close association of the holiday with violence and wars makes me sad.

I respect and honor soldiers yet do not find solace or comfort in the death and destruction they face or caused, especially in a preventive war that I consider “unjust, illegal and immoral.”

To honor the soldier and condemn the war is difficult, despite all the intellectual arguments for doing so. I cannot find an observation from the garden to help explain this paradox.

As I mentioned in this week’s postings on the Diary of the Worm, I am feeling down and tired. My writing probably has reflected this lack of inspiration. So the Diary of the Worm will take a few off and I will take some time to take in some Shakespeare, spend time with my wife, take my grandchildren to a water park and work on the garden. Maybe a few days away from routine and I can kick the funk.

The Diary of the Worm will resume Wednesday, July 7, 2010

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