This day is November 20th, 2021. I’m starting to get into the holiday feeling again. I feel like I grew up in a Norman Rockwell painting entitled “Thanksgiving on the farm”. It was a very big deal. My father was the oldest of 7 children who would all gather every Thanksgiving at our home. Wonderful chaos is the only way to describe it. That little walk down memory lane makes me feel grateful for the memories I have and that’s a good way to start this day, which happens to be National Absurdity Day, Name Your Computer Day, National Peanut Butter Fudge Day, Future Teachers of America Day, National Survivors Of Suicide Day and Universal Children’s Day. Who doesn’t like peanut butter fudge? Now let’s see what what happened on this date: In 284 Roman soldier Diocletian was proclaimed Emperor by the army. He was born to a family of low status, joined the army, rose through the ranks to become Roman cavalry commander and when the emperor and his son were killed in battle the army declared him the new Emperor of Rome. He ruled until 305 and then retired. He was the only Emperor to every retire. On this day in 1521 the Arabs blamed the water shortage in Jerusalem on the Jews for making wine. The Jews of the Middle Ages got blamed for everything. In 1945 the Nuremberg war trials began when 24 Nazi leaders were put on trial. Finally, in 1966 “Cabaret” opened on Broadway for 1166 performances. On this day in 1910, the Russian author Leo Tolstoy died at the age of 82. Here are several of his insightful quotes: “The kinder and more thoughtful a person is, the more kindness he can find in other people.” “Many people have ideas on how others should change; few people have ideas on how they should change.” I will end with one that deals with gratitude: “Perhaps it’s because I appreciate all I have so much that I don’t worry about what I haven’t got.” Abide.
