June 26, 2022. The early days of a social upheaval are interesting. Who will emerge as the leaders for each side? What will their tactics be? How many people will become actively involved? We’ve got a front row seat to this historical event. Today is Beautician’s Day, Descendants Day, Log Cabin Day, Forgiveness Day, National Canoe Day, National Chocolate Pudding Day, and Tropical Cocktails Day. The last two sound good to me. On this day in 1284 a Pied Piper lead 130 children of Hamelin Germany away. I always thought the Pied Piper story was fictional. Doesn’t seem that it was. The piper was promised a sum of money for fixing a rat infestation in Hamelin and after he did, the mayor refused to pay him. He showed up again and started playing and 130 children followed him out of town and were never seen again. Wow. On this day in 1498 the toothbrush was invented in China using boar bristles. This is the day in 1721 that the 1st smallpox inoculations in America were given. In 1848 on this day the 1st pure food laws were enacted in the US. In 1927 on this day the Cyclone roller coaster opened on Coney Island. This is the day in 1945 that the United Nations Charter was signed by 50 nations in San Francisco. Now to the wisdom of the departed. Israel Kamakawiwo’ole died in 1997. IZ, as he was called, was the big Hawaiian who sang Over the Rainbow. IZ said, “Be strong, know who you are, no be shame, stand up, e ala e.” Next is Nora Ephron who was a journalist who died in 2012. Nora said, “I’m very much a believer in knowing what it is that you love doing so you can do a great deal of it.” James Weldon Johnson was a civil rights activist who died in 1938. James suggested “Make yourself as happy as possible and try to make those happy whose lives come in touch with yours.” I’ll end with a quote from Pearl S. Buck who died in 1973. It’s her birthday. She said, “The test of a civilization is in the way that it cares for its helpless members.” Abide.
