A Crisis Perspective

   For perspective during these frightening and frustrating times, imagine you were born in 1900.

    In your 14th year, World War I exploded, and it only ended in your 18th year after killing 22 million people. In the same year that war ended, the Spanish Flu epidemic spread its deadly tentacles around the planet until your 20th year, sickening 500 million and killing 50 million in just those two terrible years. In your 29th year, the Great Depression began. Unemployment hit 25 percent and the World GDP plunged 27 percent. It persisted until you were 33. The country nearly collapsed along with the entire world economy. Many lost everything. Some committed suicide. People starved.

    When you turned 39, World War II erupted and two years later America was inexorably drawn into it. Between your 41st and 45th year, 75 million people died horribly. Millions were maimed. Millions were displaced.

    In your 50th year, the Korean War broke out, killing another five million people. In your 55th year the Vietnam War began and dragged on and on through four presidents and 20 years, killing four million more people to no purpose. In your 62nd year the Cuban Missile Crisis threatened nuclear Armageddon that was only narrowly averted, and a long cold war dragged on, shadowing our world.

    Think of all those souls born in 1900. How did people survive all of that? Yet many did and went on to help create a better world.

    Now humanity is under yet another global threat.

    Maybe we need to view it in perspective. Think of all those who came before us and their many trials.

    Maybe we need to help each other out while we each do everything we possibly can to defeat the common enemy. And try to build a better world on the other side.

           

Phil

www.philbowie.com