In times like these, it helps to remember there have always been times like these. – Paul Harvey
Paul Harvey was an American radio announcer, best known for his news commentaries. Harvey, which was actually his middle name, was revered by millions of listeners, particularly in the Midwest and Harvey was on the air from the time he was 14 until his death at age 90 in 2009. At his peak, Harvey was heard on 1,200 radio stations and regular readers of the crap may recall this is the second time this quote has been featured here.
… there have always been times like these.
Nothing really changes in our Human Experience. Our world is violent? That is nothing new; we’ve had a violent world since Cain killed Abel. Millions live in poverty? That is nothing new either. From time immemorial our world has had people unwilling or unable to provide for themselves.
This is one of the most fundamental lessons life has to offer: we really aren’t breaking any new ground here. We think we are, we like to think we are standing at the salt and summit of humanity, but in realty, nothing changes. Some are born to privilege, some are born with no chance while most of us fall somewhere in between, passing an existence whose length we are not only unsure of, but whose end date is undetermined. A hundred years from now, as we like to say, there will be all new people on this planet, except for those sentenced to extraordinarily long lives.
Something else that never changes is the 24 hours each day holds. Each day we must use those 24 hours to overcome our circumstances. Those born to privilege must work to build a life of substance, not easy, and sometimes not necessary, when every advantage is available. Those of us born to less exalted circumstances must work to overcome the pleasures and distractions that are there every day that can draw us from the path we were meant to take.
In times like these…
Times like these have been around since time immemorial. Circumstantially we live different lives than those before us, but intrinsically they are same. Every day we must look ourselves in the mirror and ask ourselves if we made our time serve us, or did we squander the day. When our time comes to die we are going to have to ask ourselves if we made our lives serve us or did we squander our time on this planet.
We can’t ignore the 24 hours in each day and we can’t squirrel some away for future use. They will be there, relentlessly, every day. Like those in other times, we can squander the hours or put them to work for us.
The Thought for the Day runs regularly. Quotes are from Gaylon’s private stock.
