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ON THE CUSP

As the summer comes to an end, more questions than answers remain, about the fate of humanity, perhaps than ever before.

That's likely an exaggeration, but let me put it this way: on the one hand, the best of humans was on display in Paris for the Olympics - youth, energy, discipline, peaceful competition, superb skills, goodwill - and again last night with the Obamas' speeches - or again, with the Taylor Swift tour - humans being talented, smart, and generous; and enjoying music, and the best we can offer.

On the other, war may escalate in the Middle East, Europe or Asia; and an anti-democratic force may take over America's government soon.

Not to mention other sad, terrible things that happen daily or weekly, and reveal the depths of human cruelty and short-term thinking.

You might be forgiven for thinking these are end times. Or, almost a golden age, of new discoveries. Since the poet Pope's Essay on Man, at least, we have had the half-angel half-beast trope, and it certainly isn't much better than then, except perhaps in terms of medicine, and a decline in slavery.

I am erring on the side of optimism today, perhaps because it didn't rain. And though it has been a terribly sad week for many, and remains very sad for many I know and love, somehow, I sense that, even in the bleakest times (and the end of summer is always sad) there will be moments, glimmers, glisters, of beauty, kindness, and love, that make life worth living.

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