The name of this day is April 3, 2023. Today is a good day to take a few minutes to appreciate the small stuff. To just sit quietly and look at all the life that surrounds us. It’s magical and we get to live in this garden called Earth. If you aren’t in an occasional state of awe, you aren’t paying attention. We have a great list of celebratory events today: American Circus Day, Find a Rainbow Day, Fish Fingers and Custard Day, Free Cone Day, National Chocolate Mousse Day, National Don’t Go to Work Unless It’s Fun Day, Pony Express Day, Sweet Potato Day, National Fun Day, and World Party Day. Now let’s see what our ancestors did on this day. In 1776 on this day George Washington received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Harvard. This is the day in 1860 that the Pony Express first delivered mail between St. Joseph, MO and Sacramento, CA. On this day in 1868 a Hawaiian surfed on the highest wave ever – a 50-foot tidal wave. In 1882 on this day Jesse James is shot in the back and killed by fellow gang member Robert Ford in his home. This is the day in 1922 that Joseph Stalin was appointed General Secretary of the Communist Party by an ailing Vladimir Lenin. On this day in 1944 the Supreme Court ruled that “white primaries” were unconstitutional. On this day in 1948 President Harry Truman signed the Marshall Plan to rebuild war-torn Western Europe with an initial $5 billion in aid to 16 European countries. In 1968 on this day “Planet of the Apes” starring Charlton Heston premiered. Today quotes with Henry Graham Greene who was an English novelist who died in 1991. Henry observed “In the end there is no desire so deep as the simple desire for companionship” and “In human relationships, kindness and lies are worth a thousand truths.” Next is Joe Medicine Crow, the last war chief of the Crow Nation who died in 2016 at the age of 102. He said, “I was never a smart man to begin with, but I love to learn. This is the way to get somewhere in life.” Last for today is from Conrad Veidt who was actor who died in 1943. He said, “After my mother died, I found a little book of hers which recorded everything I had ever done, how I had done it, and how proud she was of her son Conrad.” A nice moment, I’m sure. Abide.
