As I write this, I realize that the shortest day of the year is now upon us. Of course that also means winter is now upon us too. But at least there will be more daylight… arriving bit by bit every day. Some sort of silver lining is always out there isn’t it!

“So” (the very word I tell writing students not to use), these days it seems that there is just too much. To much going on, too many people making too many comments about the too much creating too much madness. Result: It keeps getting worse: too much! Of course, we could get into a debate about what “worse" actually means. I mean it can mean better to some couldn’t it? But then, to insert a bit of presidential wisdom here, what does “it” mean in the first place? Yes, it is a quagmire. A word I am starting to believe shows up in my everyday conversation a bit more often than it deserves. But what can I do about it? It’s a quagmire!

So (oops), I just wanted to share some bit of something with you as 2023 comes to an end. And, I must admit, I was in a bit of a quagmire (there’s that word again) about what, if anything to write about. I mean it’s hard enough to clear our minds these days enough to even know what to think about. We’re stuck. Damned if we do, damned if we don’t… “Must I continue?" you may ask. I will. Perhaps you won’t… You very well may say to yourself, “what a total waste of time here.” And click on to some more meaningful thought… some more of the too much I mentioned earlier on. If so, Have a Merry Christmas anyway. But if you are going to stick it out with me for the next few paragraphs, welcome aboard.

I have absolutely nothing to add to this fray we, as a planet, are in. And, I might add: that we have created. Locally, nationally, globally… Where are we headed? To quote Carl Sandburg’s poem “Limited:”

I am riding on a limited express, one of the crack trains of the nation.

Hurtling across the prairie into blue haze and dark air go fifteen all-steel coaches holding a thousand people.

(All the coaches shall be scrap and rust and all the men and women laughing in the diners and sleepers shall pass into ashes.)

I ask a man in the smoker where he is going and he answers: “Omaha."

I mean that’s about is isn’t it! Eye off the ball and all that sort of stuff. Sounds a bit like Ecclesiastes doesn’t it? Nothing new under the sun… oops, there I go plagiarizing again. Maybe I can be a university president someday. No pun intended. But really folks, where is all of this leading? End Times? The AntiChrist? Another Black Friday Sale? Who knows. I surely don’t. So I don’t pretend to make any suggestions here, Too many already. It does all shore up my faith in Christ though as we approach Christmas. I hope it does for you too.

So, we are fighting, as a nation, for everyone. Everyone’s “rights!” Sorta brings me back to yet another Biblical reference: Judges 21:25: An era in which “Everyone did what he wanted.” (memo to self: gotta watch my pronouns here… Scratch “he” replace with “they.”) That Bible… such a lack of sensitivity. Yes, we’re really all about being in the name of diversity and self-fulfillment. Doesn’t it always bring us back to that “box of chocolates” line from Forest Gump? All so different! But not really. All of those diverse chocolates are always the same folks in every box. Even in the same spot. It’s been standardized. We’ve been fooled at our own game. Standard diversity. And we mass produce it.

Here we are (have been) striving to make it all so diverse that we have made it all the same? I think so. At the risk of going off the deep end here and losing anyone who still may be here: we have defeated even ourselves. “We have met the enemy and he is us.” (Pogo). Striving to create a less binding yoke as Scripture refers to, we have yoked ourselves into an even more constraining one. We honestly don’t even know which end is up! I guess it depends on whether you are in the Northern of Southern Hemisphere? Anyway… Always over-thinking. Too smart even for ourselves.

I heard people discussing a few points recently on some programs I enjoy listening to (yes, listening to… not watching) on the radio. So, your infant child found a pen and drew on their arm… They point at pictures of grapes and other colorful stuff…Get them a tattoo? Your prepubescent child is “uncomfortable?” That means what exactly? What a burden to be placed on a child. Baby on the way? Not to worry, we can fix that too. And we wonder why Gen-Z is ready to call it quits. I read where “Gen Z seems to be grappling with a mental health crisis…” Duh!

Some stats I pulled of the internet (Thank you Al Gore):

Teen suicide is more common in Gen Z girls compared to previous generations: Suicide rates for girls 15 to 19 in Gen Z is 5.1 per 100,000, compared to 3.1 per 100,000 for millennials, 3.9 per 100,000 for Gen X. Suicide rates for Gen Z men have risen 45% since 2007, compared to 87% for women

Of course, who can really say what a “woman” is exactly? I don’t recall us Baby Boomers being anywhere near that depressed.

So, as I brought this article to a close, I heard a news headline on the radio: 14 people were killed in a mass shooting at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University, Jan Palach Square, in central Prague, Czech Republic. 25 more were injured. The perpetrator we were told died after the attack. “Hmmm,” What’s up with that? More motivation to crack down on that 2nd Amendment here, that’s for sure. Brings to mind one more thought I had recently. Home Depot.

Yes, I went into Home Depot the other day and low-and-behold, the cart I was using locked up at the exit. Locked up, would not move. Home Depot (and probably every other retail outlet I would wager, is buying Bluetooth activated wheel locks on the shopping carts to keep people from stealing. Yep, rather than reintroduce the 10 Commandments into society, let’s just do stupid stuff like this. Remember “don’t kill”, “don’t steal”? “Higher Power” and all of that.

Think maybe it has anything to do with allowing people to steal around $700 in merchandise from a store without any penalty? “Separation of Church and State”? I wonder, I mean, really! Take all of our freedoms (yes, freedoms have responsibility). That yoke thing I mentioned earlier.

To quote the 46th President of the United States: “Come on man!”

And a Happy New Year.