View of California Wildfires From Above the Clouds
“In all your years and all your travels,” I asked, “what do you think is the most important thing you’ve learned about life?”
He paused a moment, then with the twinkle sparkling under those brambly eyebrows he replied: “In three words, I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life. It goes on. In all the confusions of today, with all our troubles . . . with politicians and people slinging the word fear around, all of us become discouraged . . . tempted to say this is the end, the finish. But life — it goes on. It always has. It always will. Don’t forget that.”
–Robert Frost , on his 80th birthday, speaking to journalist Ray Josephs, 1954
What a time it is.
Much of the imagery you see these days is downright terrifying and disheartening, from the apocalyptic fire scenes from the west coast to the images of clashes in the streets between protesters and police to the scenes of armed white supremacists being given virtual carte blanche treatment as they move about the country to the ugly, hateful stupidity displayed so publicly now by the president’s red hatted followers as they gather to piss and moan about “their country” being taken from them.
Oh, what a time it is.
I wish I could quote Dickens and say that it was the best of times, it was worst of times but quite honestly, where is the best of times to be found these days?
I saw the photo at the top of the California wildfires as seen from above the clouds and at first glimpse thought it was a closeup of the coronavirus. It wouldn’t surprise me if they had somehow sprang from the same Pandora’s Box and ultimately resembled one another. The destructive effect of the two on the lives of those involved is much the same, that’s for sure.
I guess I can only look to the words of Robert Frost and many others who have told us that life will go on. Even though they seem wise enough that I want to trust that they somehow know this to be true, these days I find myself doubting them. But for today, I am going to trust their judgement.
Life goes on.
Here’s the Beatles with their Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da which uses that phrase as a refrain. Keep it in mind as you hopefully have a good Sunday.
Redtree Times 
Yes it does; and to put that into sobering perspective, there’s this. https://images.app.goo.gl/ywD8gygbWLbRavH89
Great graphic. I never thought to use one of my earlier “Archaeology” series pieces.
I haven’t seen one of those paintings in a while and had they had slipped my mind. I’ve always admired that series, so yes, that would have been appropriate and probably better than what I posted!
I’ve always appreciated this Frost quotation. I’ve certainly found evidence to support his view of things.
Yes, I have to tell myself with reminders like this from time to time that life does indeed go on despite the current situation. It will not always necessarily go on in the same way. But trees will grow, rivers will run, flowers will bloom and hopefully birds will continue to sing.