I literally have to remind myself on a daily basis — heck, sometimes hourly — that we live in a mostly wonderful world.
For one weekend, I found a way and I highly recommend. Go to a wedding!
Let me explain.
I have been trying to avoid the constant news coverage out of Texas.
Just when you think it can’t get worse. It does. Nineteen dead. Bad enough some violent monster takes an assault rifle into an elementary school and murders little children and two teachers.
Then we find out this guy should have been on somebody's radar. If his mother and grandparents had no idea that he was “off,” then they weren’t paying attention.
If a teenager has zero friends, is a loner and has a penchant for guns, I think that’s a red flag.
Nobody noticed all his weird social media posts, creepy pictures and a manifesto?
Then we find out that the cops don’t go into the school immediately, even though they knew it was an active shooter and protocol is to neutralize the threat.
Why the hesitation?
As little children were doing their best to get 911 calls out and help in... still no rapid response.
What kind of policing failure and/or cowardice is that? The Grade 4 children were braver.
Well, clearly I haven’t avoided the headlines enough, as it remains front and centre in my mind and heart.
Anyway, my point is that while we can’t do much to help those forever impacted, maybe the answer is to do the best we can where we are.
While that horror plays out in the Lonestar State, there’s also a ridiculous court drama playing out in Virginia.
I didn’t mean to get swept up in the whole Johnny Depp/Amber Heard defamation suit and countersuit, but I got sucked right in.
I found a You Tube channel doing gavel-to-gavel coverage. I was transfixed.
It is not because I particularly care about either actor. I think the only movie of Depp’s I ever saw was Edward Scissorhands. I thought his character was dark and odd then, and it seems he wasn’t really acting. The guy is just plain weird.
Until now, I never knew who Amber Heard was and I wish I didn’t know so much about her now.
I have to say I can’t side with either one of them. They seem to be spoiled, entitled, angry people with too much money and too little sense. Overly dramatic, immature and vulgar beyond belief. They deserved each other.
If you have been watching the proceedings, you will know what I refer to by saying poop in the bed, crying with no actual tears, a cut off finger, giggling, doodling, meta data and alpacas dressed as pirates.
And that's the stuff that made sense!
If you have no idea, consider yourself lucky to have missed the trip to Crazy Town.
The verdict comes down this week.
Again, my point is that all this insanity is enough to make you feel incredibly disappointed in the human race.
The current state of affairs, closer to home, doesn’t really do much to boost my mood, either, as we deal with price hikes everywhere.
However, this weekend I felt a shift.
I did something that normally pre-pandemic would have been very normal. I went to a wedding.
I had several hours of pure unadulterated joy sharing in the marriage of two close friends.
I was able to simply bask in their happiness. There was beautiful scenery, friends, laughter, good food and drink, music and dancing.
For one brief day, there was no drama. We made a vow to each other, all of us there, to stay in the moment and avoid social media for the day. I couldn’t stop smiling. It was not all the wine, either.
It was this fabulous reminder that in a dark and scary world there is still love. It feels good to see it in action and to witness it.
Escape when you can. Find your moments of happiness and hang on tight.
