Perspective : history's darkest days

Perspective is fascinating.  

How one situation can be viewed in multiple ways.  Like the little guy who builds a tree fort with his father.  He picks some dandelions for his mom.  Takes a pee break, and almost makes it.  Puts branches in his hair and runs around singing “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer”. Throws nails at the neighbour’s cat.  Another pee break, this one successful.  Tells his dad all about the cartoons he’s just watched for 90 minutes. Pushes an acorn up his nose, mom performs tweezer surgery.  

Meanwhile, the dad measures, hammers, looks for nails, saws, climbs, sweats and finally declares the job done.  As they head in for supper the little guy can’t hold his excitement and tells his mom, “I built a tree fort, and dad helped”!

And it’s not just young boys whose perception may be slightly skewed, is it?  To be honest we’ve all our fair share of .. “what were we thinking?” .. “seemed like a good idea at the time” .. “we were stressed out over THAT?”.  Pain, experience, or simply the cold light of hindsight can be wonderfully instructive as our perspectives have evolved.

We therefore humbly offer the following ...

Imagine you were born in 1900.  

On your 14th birthday, World War I starts.  It ends on your 18th birthday.  22 million people die.  

Later that year, 1918, the Spanish Flu pandemic hits.  It lasts until your 20th birthday. 50 million people die in just 2 years.

On your 29th birthday, the Great Depression begins. Unemployment hits 25%, the World GDP drops 27%. The world economy almost completely collapses.  It lasts until you’re 39 ... Ten.  Long.  Years.  

For most countries the Depression ends in 1939.  Because, you know, World War II.  You’re now 39 and the planet is in flames.  Between your 39th and 45th birthdays, 75 million people die. 

At age 50, the Korean War starts. 5 million dead. 

At age 55, the Vietnam War begins and doesn’t end for 20 years. 4 million more deaths.  You’re now 75.

Interesting, isn’t it?  How every generation, like ours, thinks theirs is the most significant one in history. 

As heart-breaking as this current pandemic has sometimes been — and it has been tragic for many, many people — perhaps there is a slightly different perspective in the middle of it all.  Maybe, just maybe, these are not history’s darkest days after all.  

COVID-19 will end, life will resume, there is hope.