Of Shoes and Ships and Sealing Wax... Front Row Seats

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes—and ships—and sealing-wax—
And cabbages—and kings—
And why the sea is boiling hot—
And whether pigs have wings."

~~ Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass

There have been so many interesting things going on in the world lately, I hardly know where to begin. Ever since I was a child, I have always been interested in current affairs -- political, social, cultural -- whatever. We are fortunate to have front row seats to the interesting events of the day.  I have learned that the things that interest me are not always necessarily the things that interest other people, but isn't it fun to be able to discuss them as they are unfolding?  A future king takes a bride, and we are witness to the best man, the groom's brother, as he quietly whispers something personal to the groom, and the groom's shoulders shake as he chuckles.  We are witnessing a charming, spontaneous moment, and two billion people are asking, "What did Harry just say to William?"

Just a few days ago we all had front row seats as the world's most odious terrorist died a coward's death in a filthy, squalid house, hiding behind his wife.  In life he terrorized the world, responsible for the deaths of tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands of Muslims and non-Muslims alike.  No sooner did the whole world breathe a sigh of relief, when a bogus quote, falsely attributed to Dr. Martin Luther King, went viral and everyone felt guilty for feeling relieved.  Well, folks, it's okay to feel relieved that a monstrous terrorist has been eliminated.  No one wants to dance on someone's grave, but to feel relief that he can no longer do anyone any harm, well, that's okay.  Even Dr. Drew said it's okay, and if Dr. Drew says it's okay, that's good enough for me.

In Canada we had front row seats to an historic federal election.  The polls closed at 7:00, and by 7:01 Stephen Harper, the man everyone loves to hate, had been re-elected with a majority government; two opposing parties, Liberals and Bloc Québécois  had been eviscerated, and the socialist NDP party had become Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition. You could hear a collective gasp across Canada as everyone said, "What just happened?" All of this was live and in living colour...

There are so many things we are fortunate enough to witness as they are happening.  It makes us all part of our global community, and we can discuss them and debate them with each other from across the world.  I think it's wonderful.  You may not always agree with my opinions, and vice versa, but we can enjoy the conversations, and sometimes we learn something from each other's point of view. 

Now, a note to the Vancouver Canucks:  I want front row seats when you bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada this year.  That would be witnessing history.