WHATEVER HAPPENED TO CRAZY?
One of the funniest comedians Jay Crowell and I enjoy is Chris Rock.
In one of his monologues he makes his famous toothy, wide-eyed look; then declares, “Whatever happened to crazy?” It so fun; so good to laugh.
Today amid a worldwide pandemic we can cry or laugh or even do both. One of the ways I humor myself is to ask, “whatever happened to crazy?” as I navigate mentally through the challenges CV-19 hits me with, and they are serious hits.
Crazy #1. May is pontoon month. Fortunately, the boat shop is classified as essential. I guess it is essential because folks need to get to the lakes for their mental health. However, after putting the boat in the water I am told I cannot drive it. So, now I have the pontoon docked. Seems crazy to me.
Crazy #2. Two friends, husband, and wife took a stroll in a wooded park. No other people present. A police officer tells them to get in their car and leave. It is unlawful to be walking in the park. The woman says to the police officer, “we need to get outdoors and walk; we don’t want to walk in our neighbor.” Officer says, “Stay indoors.” Seems crazy to me.
Crazy #3. A family construction business cannot work. They are shut
down; similar construction businesses with government contracts are in full work mode. One essential but not the other. Seems crazy to me.
Where is the hope in these words of hope? In reality, there isn’t any evidence of hope in this edition. Truth is when we need hope the most is when there is no evidence for it. Hoping against all hope is the most critical time to hold on to hope.
Imagine placing your total life, everything you believe, everything you own everything you hope for in one thing, and the thing you trusted in is stomped out. This is the place absolutely no one wants to be. No one.
History tells us many who have gone before us have been in a place of hopelessness. Andrew, Phillip, Nathanial, John Peter, and others were hopeless the day Jesus was crucified.
Today millions are hopeless. They have no income; no job, no hope for financial recovery. Some worked a half-century to build a business; it is gone now, and many will never recover.
To me, in my life experience, people place principle above profit or profit above principle. Some find themselves making a profit from this pandemic; some find themselves in painful hurt. Unfortunately, humanity’s pains only truly impact us when it impacts our own lives.
My one hope during this crazy time is those making the big decisions make them as if they suffered loss as much as the ones inflicted by their decisions. It is doubly hard to suffer when decision-makers are living well regardless of the impact of their (far too often crazy) decisions.
Hope is here; it just takes more seeking to find it in crisis. My hope is you find hope to get through the “crazy.” I am in this fight with you. Because belief dictates behavior I believe in hope. I live gratitude because I want the 15 to 20% bonus that PMA (positive mental attitude) gives me in beating cancer and even CV-19 and all its impact. Hang tough my words of hope friends.
