It’s Not So Bad…I hope

It’s easy to get discouraged.

If you watch the news, read the paper, or search the Internet. The stability of the world and our lifestyle can seem awfully tenuous. We live in a time when we’re all struggling to figure out how the rapid pace of technological change fits into our lives. When we’re embroiled in a war on the other side of the planet. When there is a simmering or full-blown crisis around every corner – Venezuela, Darfur, Pakistan, Russia, even Belgium! Not to mention the usual suspects in North Korea, the Middle East, China, and Columbia.

It can seem scary and hopeless at times, like the world is resigned to an epic implosion. But when I take a step back I see an era of relative calm. I live in an old community, and most of my elders have endured eras I could never hope to comprehend.

The dollar is weak, the economy unstable, but they lived through the depression. The war in Iraq seems futile, but they lived through Vietnam. The fight against gay rights seems petty, but they lived through the fight for Civil Rights and women’s rights. They’ve seen on their front pages World War II, the bombing of Hiroshima, the assassination of Kennedy, King Jr., and another Kennedy. They waited in gas lines in the oil crisis of the 1970s.

So at the end of the day I realize I can still be thankful for so much, even in a time when that often seems absurd, even when I shudder at all the things I don’t know about.

And so I say thanks:

For an afternoon in August with George and Annette Erickson, longtime Liberty Grove residents who’ve lived humbly and happily for decades and won’t let a little change in the neighborhood shake that happiness. In an era when every moment seems a crisis, every event a turning point, they are a great source of perspective.

For Al Gore, for staying on the global warming fight long enough for it to sink in.

For Terrell Buckley, for returning that third quarter punt 58 yards for a touchdown against the Cincinatti Bengals on Sept. 20, 1992. The play made the score 17 – 10 and brought the Packers close enough for Brett Favre to throw the game-winning touchdown pass to Kitrick Taylor with just 13 seconds to play. Without T-Buck, Favre might never have launched his epic career, and maybe, just maybe, the Majik Man would have had a warm seat waiting for him when he returned to health a couple weeks later.

For the Dixie Chicks, Pearl Jam, Steve Earle, Tim Robbins, and all who spoke out against the war before it was fashionable. At the time they were lambasted in the press, boycotted, and censored. Many commentators said celebrities should keep their mouths shut. Well, it turned out those celebrities were right. And as for keeping their mouths shut, where is the sense in telling those with the biggest platform to stay silent?

For the Rhythm Chicken, for rocking that bunny hat and shaking some of our more staid folks from their perch for a few moments every once in a while.

For higher gas prices. Yup, you read that right. Science has long since proved our gas-guzzling ways are harming the environment and our health, and our decades-long entanglement in the Middle East has shown us how reliant we are on that region’s oil. But no amount of environmental catastrophe and no death toll has been high enough to spur us to take another source of energy seriously. But with gas prices rising, the hybrids now come in waves, the electric car is rejuvenated, biking is on the rise, and we’re beginning to rethink how many trips we have to make for groceries, post office, and other errands each day.

For the car I purchased two years ago getting 30 miles to the gallon. I may believe the rise in gas prices is a good thing long-term, but I still feel the anxiety as I see the numbers flip past $40 to fill my tank.

For all the restaurants that were closed on Super Bowl Sunday, the day of the inaugural 2007 Northern Door Chili Run. Six stops were all this guy could handle. If you were part of the run, you know what I mean. If you weren’t, consider yourself lucky. I’m lobbying for something along the lines of a salad or chicken noodle run this year.

For Fall Fest. Because it exists.

For Satellite Radio, because I live in Wisconsin.

For all those who take a chance and try to do something different up here every now and again, like Steel Bridge SongFest, Camp David, taverns pushing live music, restaurants that serve something other than burgers and whitefish, Crossroads at Big Creek and the Door Community Auditorium’s lectures, and the Family Centers of Door County.

For well-oiled bowling lanes.

For Brett Favre and the Packers return to prominence, because my Chicago-bred nieces and nephews were very near to becoming Bear fans.

For independent book stores and coffee shops.

For growing up before I had to be thankful for independent book stores, coffee shops, and record stores.

For citizens who show up at mundane plan commission and board meetings just to be part of the process. And especially for those that question.

For Door County’s historical societies, which have worked in earnest in recent years to catalogue and preserve pieces of the peninsula’s history as development and father time have threatened them.

For great friends, family, a pesty dog that doesn’t know her own strength, and the girl who brought her home.

And finally, for stories that end well, problems that get solved, and wrongs made right. Which happens more often than we writers are wont to point out.