It’s the pre-dawn of November 7, 2021. If I were a pilot, I’d be doing my pre-flight checklist. Coffee? Check. Computer? Check. Aches and pains? None. Good attitude? Check. Sense of gratitude? Check. I guess I’m ready fly so here we go. November 7th is Hug A Bear Day (Teddy), Zero Tasking Day, Little League Girls Day, National Bittersweet Chocolate With Almonds Day and the End Of Daylight Savings Time Day. I’ll go for chocolate anytime. Now to the historical footnotes of this date. In 1637 on this day, Anne Hutchinson was tried in Massachusetts Bay Conly as a heretic. She was banished and moved to the more liberal Rhode Island. She is regarded as one of the America’s first feminists. On this day in 1775, Lord Dunmore promised freedom to male slaves who joined the British army. On this day in 1837 abolitionist printer Elijah P. Lovejoy was murdered by a pro-slavery mob while trying to protect his print shop from being destroyed for the third time. On this day in 1874 the first political cartoon depicting an elephant as the Republican Party symbol was published. On this day in 1918 the Spanish Flu pandemic spread to Western Samoa killing 20% (7,542) of the population by the end of the year. In 1944 on this day, Franklin D. Roosevelt is re-elected President for the 4th time. On this day in 1970, race riots were going on in Daytona Beach Florida. Today is the birthday of the French philosopher Albert Camus. Here are a few of his quotes that resonate with me. “Don’t walk behind me, I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me, I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.” “I rebel; therefore, I exist” and “It’s better to bet on this life than on the next one.” This is also the day in 1962 that Eleanor Roosevelt stopped living. I regard her as the most loved and powerful first lady we’ve ever had. I’ll end with her quotes: “Today is the oldest you’ve ever been, and the youngest you’ll ever be again.” And “Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it is called the present.” Abide
