Never Forget!

As an army brat, I have a soft spot for anything to do with the armed forces. And this week that soft spot was reactivated as I drove to a store in Fairfield. At one of the intersections, traffic was stopped briefly by a bunch of police escort riders. At first, I thought it was a VIP traveller or something, but then two big eighteen-wheelers lumbered through the intersection with the words "Wreaths Across America" plastered on their sides. Turns out, that this is a voluntary initiative to decorate the graves at Arlington National Cemetery for the holidays. I applaud such gestures, while I also recommend practical help for veterans and their families like Fisher House that provides practical help for wounded veterans and their families - a military version of the Ronald McDonald Houses. If you live in the United States and are looking for good causes to support this holiday season, these three would surely qualify.

Season of Discontent

Today there was light snow that fell across the region. I love the sight of days like this one when there is a powder white coating on the roads and the holiday season seems a little more festive. Stopping at the stores to browse for possible gifts, though, I caught sight of my reflection and noticed that although I was - am - relatively happy, I had a frown on my face and looked stressed. What struck me was how many of the shoppers at the stores looked stressed, their mouths thin lines of discontent, their foreheads creased with dissatisfaction. I suppose this too is seasonal. Gift-buying is stressful.

At one of the stores where they had a going-out-of-business sale, the storeowner and a customer were animatedly discussing the state of the world and how they could not wait till 2008 to see the last of the current administration. "I want gas prices to go down again!" the woman cried. Her customer nodded. "About time we got out of Iraq." I hated to tell both of them that neither the demise of the Bush administration nor a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq is about to resolve the enduring problem of gas prices or that of oil in general. Yes, the current mismanagement exacerbated the crisis, but it was waiting to happen anyway. Time to fund - seriously fund - research into electric cars and other forms of transportation not dependent on faraway resources. Hmmm...on the other hand, on days like this, I don't want to be riding a bicycle either. Someone help.