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GOOD IDEAS AND GOOD JUDGEMENT
Friday Jan. 25, 2019
This piece – when I drafted – just went into the basket. I keep my basket file for days when I don’t feel as driven to passionately expound. My current ‘basket reserve’ is 14 ‘rough draft’ columns. Most see light of day in some form. Some will find their way into my daily publishing at 3AM (no, I’m not up that early – technology sends what I’ve loaded the day before). Some find their way to the trash bin …
January 19, 2019: I’ve had a strange emotional day – a friend I’ve not connected with in several years, a rather notable fellow, died. It’s news, appropriately celebrating a great public servant. Gene Zwozdesky was all of that. More. He was 70. What? Way too young. And this morning I saw an opinion piece, announcing return to the public realm of another friend. Catherine Ford to the Calgary Herald op-ed page after a 14 yr. retirement. I’m so glad.
Whether we cease living, or re-start our engines, this time of life on earth has never afforded more possibilities than it does today. I’m not sure about perils. Are there fewer? Is there less risk? I suspect those who keep statistics can prove our risk of death, disease, war, famine and accidental catastrophes are lower than ever. They can’t make the same argument about the climate, air quality, junk in oceans killing fish and reefs, they can’t make the same argument about the risk of populism, Trumpism or stupid-ism in any of its forms.
The best of times are mixed with the worst of things and the same time as the best of humanity is found on the op-ed pages and in the obituaries on the same day …
What can we do?
If we care. If we make time. I don’t think there are other ingredients that will help us more. Sure, gobs of money and a legion of helpers – but nothing created by cash or mobs is of much value if it doesn’t start with guiding hands of someone who cares and makes time. It helps if they have both good ideas and good judgment.
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