I know full well that countless adult Americans are not old enough remember man's walk on the moon, the Vietnam War or the recession of the mid-70s. And in all too many cases, they didn't learn much about these and other event that took place less than 100 years ago. Pity!
They have no idea that much of what we're experiencing is a re-play of recent history…only on a grander scale.
Those of us who have been there – done that have some sense of what they have to do to weather their trials and tribulations while the country gets back on its feet. The question is do they have enough resources to hold on that long. Unfortunately many don't.
Our shame is two-fold:
1. The very people who have gone through similar events have been shut down and shut out. Too many have been forced to retire long before they wanted to and find themselves locked out of the possibility of finding work despite their every effort and focus on keeping their skills up with – and ahead of — the demands of business.
2. Those youngsters who have no frame of reference, don't realize just what a spectacular society they live in. Never before in history, has it been so easy to communicate directly with the President, the Vice President and and their team of advisers. Never before have ordinary folk across the country been able to ask the tough questions and know that they will be heard and get answers in real time from those same people – unfiltered by the media.
We live in a truly unbelievable time and place. There's a great deal of gnashing of teeth. The American people are hurting but the thing about that is. Growth and change are the product of pain. Little by little we're becoming a people who are just a little bit more civil and less complacent. And that's a good thing.