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Joe Chuman's avatar

Thanks, Paul. The cumulative misery and apprehension feel worse to me now than ever. But I remember the 10 days of the Cuban Missile Crisis, wherein we were walking around thinking that the world would be coming to an end. It seemed scarier to me in its intensity. But, clearly, we all process our fears in different ways, Our times are ominous and awful enough, to be sure.

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Jean Strickholm's avatar

Thank you, Joe, for putting out lives and the lives of children in perspective during these challenging times.

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Joe Chuman's avatar

You are most welcome, Jean.

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Marvin Friedlander's avatar

We so want our children to be successful. Yet, as the poet notes, they will (or will not) invent their own success. And I appreciate your giving recognition to the frightening reality of the fragility of our lives. What a delicate balance to appreciate the joyful wonder those two kiddies provide you while holding how in a flash lives can tumble apart. Like Paul Fine, the Cuban Missile crisis was one of the most scary weeks that left a forever scar.

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Joe Chuman's avatar

Herodotus had said that we should count no man happy until his last day. There is a radical insecurity in life, I believe. I recall the Missile Crisis well. It was a most frightening time.

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Paul Fine's avatar

So many people are suffering and afraid for their lives right now. This is probably of a magnitude of threat comparable to (in my life time) the Cuban Missile crisis. Thank you for thinking of the children. I believe that they are what matters most.

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