A Reason To Be Optimistic In A World Gone To Hell:

One Man 's Search

War, pollutants, crime, lack of integrity, scams, cheats and kayaks with meaningless warranties. It's enough to drive a man into depression and pessimism. Where in this world, I often wonder, will I find that spark that everything will be okay? What sign can I find that says my children will have a decent world in which to live. I search, mostly in vain.


Then I was in Illinois helping daughter #2 move when I was shown a picture. I couldn't sleep that night or the next. It niggled at me. Some how I knew that I had found my personal Holy Grail, the sign, the promise from beyond that things can sometimes turn around and turn out okay. I contacted daughter #1 (in Cincinnati...but I digress), and she was, thankfully, able to supply me with a copy of what I had seen: this picture: Presently housed in the art wing of the archives of The International Congress of Geeks, this image taken not terribly long ago offered me the proof I had sought. Things can turn out alright.

The two...ah...hmm...boys, who look like friends of Opie, would appear to a couple of innocents ready to be eaten up by a cruel world. They even seem to be symbolically shaking hands in acceptance of the terrible tribulations that they know lay ahead and do not understand. Without dwelling on it too long, jump ahead a little more than a decade and...TaDa...the guy on the left looks like this:He has a masters degree, is very gainfully employed, married to a gorgeous gal (that would be daughter #1) and is a fine father to boot. See? Look at how things can grow and blossom.


His friend with the red tie was best man at his wedding and is also educated and holding down a good job. He, by the way, is engaged to the maid of honor (another gorgeous gal) from the first wedding (daughter #2). You can, at least, recognize him from the old pic, but he also turned out just fine.

Now, just try to tell me that rain bows have no meaning and that there's not a great plan out there (you should see me at that age...geeeez). After all, these two guys turned out to be the breavest men in the world. Hey, they married my daughters :)


Paddle safe...
DS