somewhere under the sky

SAD

i'm skipping the usual apologies for not writing.

today, according to a study and the report i heard on NPR, is the most depressing day of the year: January 22. there are at least 6 contributing factors: the weather (which is reason enough for me); credit card bills from the holidays are coming due; new year's resolutions are starting to peter out; after the exciting holidays the daily routine is back to stay, for a while; and i forget the others, although they had to do with the fact that people are frustrated at the same ol' same ol'. these are excellent reasons. while i myself have had reason for these to be the happiest couple of days of my life, i can see how someone who has many more responsibilities than i do would not enjoy january 22. the man who did the study suggested that instead of anticipating this time in a negative way, we should try to do something fun and out of the ordinary on january 22. i think we should do this at least once a week anyway.

but who wouldn't be depressed upon hearing what else NPR had to say this morning...at least 130 people died in Baghdad as a result of 2 car bombs that exploded in a crowded marketplace. i hope Bush does not see this as a justification for sending more troops. the reasonable thing for him to say would be "aha, my strategy does not seem to be working." in fact, it never did. somebody should send him a post-it note. shall i indulge you yet again in why war is wrong and peace is right? i use the words of another, that "power without love is reckless and abusive," that "darkness cannot put out darkness," and that i stand with this man, Martin Luther King, Jr. because we have decided to stick to love, for "love is ultimately the only answer to mankind's problems."

but don't worry about the current darkness, people, for the happiest day of the year is just ahead on June 22 (it's true!). unfortunately, Bush will still be in office...

posted by leah v @ 6:23 PM