MILLENNIAL REVISITATION
As DOWN FRONT! has shared with readers on who knows how many earlier occasions, I am always looking at what I said earlier and, as the need arises, I take another view, in some instances, I offer a complete reversal. This may, of course, confuse the reader(s), but it represents growth or fun on my part...sometimes both!

With that opening salvo out of the way, I offer this: It makes a lot of sense to look forward to the year 2000 AD. Well, let me put it in a slightly different context: It makes sense to decide now what one will do differently well before the time to put up or remain mute is a timely reality. Many far wiser than I have observed that the joy of any experience is in one’s preparation for or anticipation of the experience rather than its actual arrival. So I say now, it’s fine to get pumped up over what it will be like to be alive in the almost here new millennium, 2000.

The social fixers can worry about whether life (as we have come to know it) will be appreciably better. Surely there will be a long list of those aspects of life which are likely to (hopefully) be better. And that’s fine as one entertains thoughts about world hunger, improved health, more widespread economic well being, reduced crime and hatred, peace alliances between warring gangs, neighbors, countries, etc.

And we need a major point of demarcation, a jumping off point, a clear and distinct milepost.

There was a caller to a local radio station who seriously asked why people cannot be good to one another all year round rather than set aside a time called “Christmas Day” on which there was a great outpouring of goodwill. The respondent (a Reverend Owens from West Adams Church of God in Christ) said people should act better toward one another throughout the year but we have always set aside a special day to celebrate something (you guessed it) special. That’s why we make a big thing over our own birthday, a wedding anniversary, etc. Of course he’s right.

So the coming of the year is as well it should be...special. Even when we realize that around this bubbling planet there are those who use other calendars and for whom the year 2000 “happened” long ago.

We should make up a list and check it twice (or thrice!) and commit to do something (anything!) better, in a kinder, gentler - or whatever - way. We should put ourselves on notice that on a personal note we will be a better human being. And then as that thought sinks in and a seed of courage starts to sprout, we can and should share that commitment with others...most especially those who are like to become the first recipients. So it’ll be O.K. to jump and shout and yes, pull the champagne corks out. The better day...no, the better millennium starts with US.

For starters, for practice, what are we gonna do about 1998?? DOWN FRONT! will see you then HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

 

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