August 2025

August, 2025

During these days of August, large swaths of Canada and parts of the US are battling wildfires.  Unfortunately for earth dwellers, this drought-stricken trend extends around much of the world. You just have to look out your window on a sunny but weirdly overcast day to know smokey skies are becoming our new reality.   We may have a reprieve, but it is only a matter of time before we are warned to stay indoors if we have respiratory problems.   It seems so unfair to be confined to our houses when we should be outside enjoying this last full month of summer.  When we heard the phrase “lazy hazy days of summer,” we certainly didn’t think of this.

I believe that the term “wildfire” is a kind of sad metaphor for the times that we are living in.  Every day brings on a new barrage of firestorm; and sadly, most of it is coming from the U.S.  Our world is facing so many issues like wars and famine.  We should be at the forefront of creating solutions and not creating more problems.  And yet, there are those who want to stoke the flames of uncertainty and chaos.  We could be such a powerful example of good, if we had leaders who could stand up to untruths and destruction and do something about it.  We have been blessed to have a democracy for so many years.  It wasn’t always perfect, but we always had the chance to make it a more perfect one if given the tools and the chance to use them.  The heart of Americans is good, and I still have faith in its people, but I have to admit that sometimes it feels embarrassing to be an American.