This morning my daughter sent photos of my
two grandsons enjoying spring tulips at the
Chicago Botanical Gardens. Both I assume
were grinning ear to ear. The problem is you
couldn't see their happy faces hidden under
their Covid masks. Which their mom assures
me don't seem to bother them. Since at ages
three and five much of their lives have been
spent wearing face masks. Causing grandpa
to wonder what they'll think thirty years from
now when this pandemic is simply history.
Will they or any of us remember just how
stilted life was as we fought for our lives?
We humans by our very nature are adaptable.
Changing our modus operandi based on all
that comes our way. The question is whether
said ability to shift with the tide is good... or
bad. At some point it's rather easy to become
complacent. To embrace the status quo even
when it's not good for us. Hence Americans
have become numb to the craziest of things.
Be they mass shootings, the unfair treatment
(and murder) of people of color, or a former
president totally incapable of telling the truth.
And in doing so passively condone unfettered
aggression, hate, and prejudice.
At some point we all reach our personal point
of no return. That not so sweet spot far beyond
the limitations of conventional wisdom. Said
guardrails set by a variety of emotional, moral,
and ethical factors. While I consider myself to
be highly adaptable even I have my boundaries.
Which are currently being put to the test in our
trying times. I have an extremely long "fuse."
Which makes those willing to test my patience
quite vulnerable given that once I hit a point of
no return it's over. Will I give those who push
my envelope the benefit of my doubt? Or stop
their foolishness before it's too late.
