We have entered the time/space of the 3rd day of August 2020. I am grateful to be here to live this day. Not jumping up and down with joy but grateful none the less. The good news is that the hurricane was next to a non event if you live in Central Florida and not that big a deal even if you live on the coast. I hope the Carolina’s have similar good fortune. While most of the rest of the news is not so good, there’s still happiness that can be extracted from today. It’s Assistance Dog Day, Airplane Crop Duster Day, Clean Your Floors Day (did that yesterday), National Watermelon Day (that too) and Grab Some Nuts Day (ditto). On this day in 1882 the US Congress passes the 1st law restricting immigration. Up to that point, anyone could come in? On this day in 1913 the Wheatland Hop Riot happens on the Durst farm in one of the first farm labor disputes. 2,000 farm workers lived in tents, with no blankets and unsafe drinking water. Representatives of a union showed up and then deputies came in to try and break it up. After the dust cleared, 4 people were dead. The end result was that laws were passed to improve working conditions. This seems to be the way we change things in America. In 1936 on this day, sprinter Jesse Owens wins the 100m (10.3 seconds) in front of Adolf Hitler in a famous race at the Berlin Olympics. On this day in 1924 Leon Uris, American novelist (Exodus) starts his life. Leon said, “It is extremely important to know what you don’t want to find”. We all like to find things that confirm our beliefs. It’s more important to find things that put our beliefs in question. This is also the day in 2008 that Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Russian writer, Nobel Prize for Literature, dies at 89. He said, “How can you expect a man who’s warm to understand one who’s cold?” With those to simple but profound quotes, I’ll take my leave. Have as good a day as you can. Abide.
