Every time my father moans about how wonderful the 1950s were, and how things fell apart in the 60s, I try to tell him that the 60s were a product of the 50s. Everything that came to a head in the 60s was already in the works by the late 50s. But he won't hear it. For him, the world just changed (for the worse) out of nowhere. Now, I for one, don't believe that the 50s were probably all that great. Jim Crow laws in the South. Racial injustices and tensions in northern cities. Fewer options for women. The looming and constant threat of nuclear holocaust. People are always looking back in time for a golden era to re-create.
I don't believe in golden eras. I don't believe in supermen, or in heroes, or national deliverance. What I believe is best said in the words of Paul Tillich:
"Here and there in our world, now and then in ourselves, there is a new creation."
A moment or two of 'new creation' is good enough most of the time. Oh, and I hope this is a good year for growing tomatoes, too. Ours were awful last year.
Happy New Year, Parson. Creation occurs all the time, usually unnoticed by fools like me. My philosophy is "Despite our very best efforts to the contrary, things still have a tendency to work out." May you have many happy new years in the future. See you in the "noosphere" (Teilhard de Chardin).
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Chris. (I had to google noosphere!)
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