There are lots of special events this week. Today is the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the night in 1938 when German Nazis coordinated a nationwide attack on Jewish homes, businesses, and synagogues. Also it was on this day in 1989 that the Berlin Wall came down in Germany. Tomorrow is my wife’s, Pat’s, birthday and yesterday was the birthday of Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker. Also today, November 9th, in 1965 was the day Roger LaPorte , a Catholic Worker, 22 years old, set himself on fire in front of the United Nations building in New York City to protest the United States involvement in the Vietnam war.

This Monday is Veterans Day, a day we honor all military veterans. My veteran friend came over today to help work in the garden to make some spending money. Besides medical insurance he receives no military compensation for his eleven years in the military. He receives no payments from the military and so far, has not be able to qualify for S.S.I although he has a serious illness related to his military training.

He was a military “expert” with guns and today he talked about how he was training in reflexive shooting drills where one is conditioned to fire the weapon without thought or conscience. He is proud of his military service, as he should be, although it left him with an illness that prevents him from going back to work. He proudly told me how he could kill an a person at 400 feet away.

With all these anniversary of people and event these days I was reminded in my own life and the life of few friends that is easier to be joyful when one is not in pain and or worried about finances or family crises. The day after my wife had her hip replaced last week I noticed an immediate aura of good spirit around her. It was not that she was a ‘mean’ person but,as we all know, it is hard to display joy while in pain. I have a friend who is, rightfully so, worried about money at the end of the month. At the beginning of the month he walks with a little more joy since he knows he has money to provide basics for his family.

So there are lots of special days and events in the calendar year. The point of all this is to remember to live in the present and not to worry about the past or future. What will be, will be! Worry does not help.

Comments

Please send any comments on this post to . Let us know which day’s post your comments pertain to. If the comments are appropriate we will post them here for you.