My trip to London was obviously overshadowed by events while I was there. As it happened I went to Borough Market for lunch on Saturday (Koshari in case you wondered) and I shall return on the next occasion that I go to a matinee at the Globe. Sure it's pretentious and expensive, but hey, it's central London. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that despite the ill-informed reporting in the US press, let alone the mad, unpleasantly racist ramblings of the disgusting halfwit that they have seen fit to make their head of state, we shall simply carry on doing in the future what we have done in the past. The important thing is to keep a sense of historical perspective. When I was a young man fatalities in this country due to terrorism were hundreds per year, a level far in excess of the current position; we didn't change our behaviour then and we shan't now. It's worth noting of course that the majority of those deaths were funded by the American public, as smugly self-righteous in their ignorance of the rest of the world then as they are now.
The rest of the trip was good. I met up with old friends in Isleworth and then went on to St Albans where I attended my sister's 30th wedding celebrations. I was at school with my brother-in-law so there was an added school reunion element to the whole thing. Inevitably some of the news exchanged after the passing of several decades wasn't good; as someone said over the weekend, there are increasing reminders of our mortality. All of which makes it more important to savour moments such as these.
Fortunately I can finish with something life-affirming in the true sense of the word. I don't think I have ever mentioned it, but the elder Miss Epictetus is a student midwife. Over the weekend she delivered her first baby; one hopes there will be many, many more to come. I am immeasurably proud of her. I know you will all join with me in hoping that the child grows up to live in a world more peaceful than that into which it has been born.
:thumbs up:
ReplyDeleteI echo and give thanks for all these sentiments.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Madame Padre and yourself are in my thoughts.
DeleteThank you Epictetus, for displaying your knowledge and tact regarding my country's political situ. I pray that your country will use some of that insight to help its citizens through the current crisis. I certainly hope and pray, we don't have to come over a 3rd time to bail out your imploding empire again.... As to another witty comeback, don't bother I wont be back....
ReplyDeleteRespectfully,
Gunny
I'm half hoping / thinking that you (epictetus) wrote Gunny's considered effusion yourself, in a way of emphasising your above points, but sadly I know that isn't the case.
ReplyDeleteLarry David et al to one side as contradictory evidence, and one wonders if the supposed lack of irony in the US psyche isn't true after all.
I don't suppose that he (she?) read the rest of your moving and literally life-affirming post. I for one thank and applaud you for it.