SIGNIFICANT DATES
Well, that date we've been fearing - 9/11 - is approaching, with all of its associated memories. I guess we fear 9/11 from the anniversary angle, the danger angle, the 'you
name it' angle. But on 9/10, a year ago, we had no such fear of 9/11 ... so what does that say about "...fear itself", as FDR said?
What it says is, we create our own fears. We've 'learned' every one of them. We've learned to fear everything from financial matters to getting our cars
inspected, for goodness sake. World class motivator Louis Timberlake, a friend, says that when we were born, we only had two actual "fears": the fear of falling through space, and the fear of
loud noises. We learned all the rest. I say that's not necessarily bad.
But, in this 'learning' process, have we actually learned to fear September 11th, the date, in perpetuity? No, of course not. I suspect we just fear -quote- another
September 11th -endquote-, whatever that means. But, it IS interesting that all of us DO have certain dates -- the date itself -- branded into our grey matter that we
associate with events, historical or personal, which evoke feelings of joy, sadness, good time, bad time, whatever time. And, there's nothing wrong with that, either. In fact,
it's quite common. Bear with me, now.
YOU'RE HERE FOR WHAT??
I mentioned 'car inspections' ... how we 'fear' them. Well, I got mine this past week - 25 days early . So early, in fact, that it scared my
garage guy into knocking over a whole rack of windshield wiper blades as I approached. But as I waited for the inspection, gazing all the while at the strewn windshield wiper
blades on the floor ... wondering which two would be MINE when I left ... anyway, while all this was going on, I met a nice young lady in the waiting room.
With CNN on in the background, we were talking about '9/11'. It seems this lady's birthday is September 11th. I asked her what it was like a year ago ... her
birthday, and all ... and she said that it was pretty bad - that from then, on, September 11th would always conjure up memories of the World Trade Center, FIRST, and the fact
that it's her birthday, SECOND.
I can relate to this. Forever, November 22nd will always bring up President Kennedy in my mind. And somewhere, deep down in there, is also the fact that it's
my birthday. (Of course, as those birthdays keep on a'comin', I don't mind them taking backstage to anything! But I digress.)
Dates, and the images they conjure up. Fear, and the reasons that fears are learned. Interesting thoughts leading up to this week's anniversary. And, I yield discussion
of THAT to those more qualified. But, as we say in journalism, don't blame the messenger. To the nice young lady, I say, it's not September 11th ... it's what
happened on September 11th, that we're dealing with. So, do have a Happy Birthday!
And, as for my Jeep. Well, it passed! And those scattered windshield wiper blades are awaiting one of you on your next inspection trip. MY fear is GONE. (But
... come to think of it, my muffler could use a little work before next year...hmmm...wonder if duct tape ... hmmm...)
