Americanism Redux April 18-19, your today, on the journey to the American Founding, 250 years ago, in 1774 The difference a time makes. It was only a few hours ago. A few days ago. A few somethings ago. Time can take such a short form and yet appear to be so long ago. Is it the same for time yet to be? Is the future as far away as the past? No, because there's nothing between us … [Read more...]
Americanism Redux: April 18-19, Your Today, On The Journey To The American Founding, 250 Years Ago, In 1774
April 18, 2024 by Leave a Comment
Yesterday and Today–for the rest of the year
April 20, 2021 by
"Tell us what you think about the rest of the year." That was the request made of me for this morning. Yesterday, to prepare, I wrote down four points for 2021. I'd like to share them with you now and also thank the Hendricks County (IN) Republican Party for their graciousness in hosting me. With your sights set on April-December 2021, here you go. Point #1: The The Roaring Twenties today … [Read more...]
Wave Two–From 2020 To 1918: October 20
October 20, 2020 by
Now And Today, October 20, 2020 Promised Land. Promised Time. Outside the gate the fog is gone and the fields are clear. Time for you to run through. Away from rules and strictures, from fences. The air freshens, the light brightens, and the sounds ring just a little bit truer. How great it is. You've gone somewhere or you are somewhere and the pandemic didn't follow in full. Vacation, a … [Read more...]
Wave Two–From 2020 to 1918: September 28
September 28, 2020 by
Convergence in the dark Now And Today, September 28, 2020 The last thing you want to do will not stand much of a chance when it's placed alongside the first thing you want to do. The last thing may take control for a while but, over time, the first thing will be back on top. First things are first things for a reason. The dominant sight in your everyday life will not allow itself to be … [Read more...]
Learning From The 1918 Influenza Pandemic: Day 48
April 29, 2020 by
You get stuck. The things you see around you; the tilt and trend down to now and your memory of the past weeks; the things you're looking to see in the day, days, and week after today; those fixed events already set or expected several weeks or a few months ahead. You're somewhere between all of these states of time, states of being, and states of mind. With so much floating and swirling, you feel … [Read more...]
Learning From The 1918 Influenza Pandemic: Day 46
April 27, 2020 by
Camp Custer, October 1918 The future is like the sun. Stare at it and your eyes go bad. Now well into the sixth week, Day 46, and Americans are looking forward, sizing up the shapes and objects ahead. They hope to see an edge sharpen to an end and a line drawn for a beginning. But it's hard to really see much. The only thing visible is a blinding light. And looking longer doesn't help. In … [Read more...]
Learning From The 1918 Influenza Pandemic: Day 36
April 17, 2020 by
Fatalaties per 100,000 due to influenza, Minneapolis and St. Paul, to October 13, 1918 Far north. Far south. A young couple in love and a couple of perspectives on the day. Let's take them in turn and a few others in between. Day 36, October 13, 1918. Minneapolis and St. Paul are side-by-side in Minnesota. Together, today, the two cities reel from the misery of influenza. It's the … [Read more...]
The Shadow Of Late Winter
April 9, 2020 by
On January 24 I wrote my first post to a closed group of Alumni about Covid-19 and its likely importance for your personal leadership. On March 5 I found lessons from 1918 and shared them in the post below (which I've reproduced here). It was for my followers on LinkedIn. It seems to me that it hit and still hits the mark. So, I'll ask you now, standing a few days ahead of Easter and spring all … [Read more...]
Some of the New Water Ahead
November 10, 2016 by
You'd have to be brain-dead not to realize that both the result of the 2016 presidential campaign and the campaign itself have opened a new era in the American experience. Some of you know that I call such things "a new Stretch of River." Part of the new Stretch is the water I'll describe below. Oh, and that's Justin Bieber in the mugshot. See where I'm going? Part of the new Stretch of … [Read more...]
An Open Letter To My New Harmony Friends
February 22, 2016 by
Last fall, my wife and I spent a weekend in New Harmony, Indiana. I address this Open Letter, respectfully, to the good people of that charming place (and to those folks in other historically based towns and villages). We understood from conversations with merchants and residents that this little town in southwestern Indiana was in the midst of some rather severe change and challenges. It was … [Read more...]
