Thoughts on Colin's First Day

Welcome, Colin to the latter-days. What a time to be born. Dickens said it best in a Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” The only thing I would change is the tense. “It is the best of times, it is the worst of times.” It seems that each generation lives in a time more dangerous, more frightening, more challenging than each of the others. We all feel it, that churning in the gut or the tightening around the back of the neck when we watch the news. Africa is in a state of anarchy, Europe is mouldering away into apathetic oblivion and the US, well, we are our usual narcissistic selves, looking at all our problems and trying to cover it up with mineral makeup and the Bowflex gym. We figure that if we at least look good, everything will be ok. Our only desire is to make a beautiful corpse. This is the worst of times.

Right now I write this on a computer that 20 years ago would have been impossible. I will soon post it via the Internet so that all who wish can see. I am my own publishing house. We live in houses that are air conditioned, with every food imaginable or desirable at our fingertips. We have clean running water at any time, daily showers and health care that has minimized the flu to nothing more than a head cold. Influenza killed millions in the late 19th and early 20th century. Avian flu will never kill like that. Knowledge is available anywhere and at any time. It’s so available that we could lose our minds to it, either we forget and just look it up or it overwhelms us, but that knowledge is power if we can control and use it. We have power over our lives. Agency has never been so great a blessing. This is the best of times.

Colin, you are starting out into a world more wondrous than any other. God has placed you here in this time to choose to make a difference. You can. Your parents, their parents and their parents have endowed you with gifts that are unbelievable. Gifts of music, intelligence, beauty, education, faith, hope, resolve and toughness. You have the gift to rise to any challenge, the ability to overcome and profit from the victory. These are the true spoils. You are blessed with special protection from God, coming here at this time. You need not worry. Choose to think of these as the best of times and they will be. Choose to listen to the Spirit and listen to your parents, they have your best interests at heart. Choose to follow your dreams and your righteous passions in life, they will lead you to happiness. Happiness is God’s plan for you. He wants you to live in the best of times.

Claire de Lune is one of my favorite pieces of music to start your life with. Here is my first tribute to you.


Grandpa