As an old year ends … a new endeavor.

Today is New Year’s Eve, as well as the Feast of the Holy Family. One calendar year is ending, the Christmas season is at its midpoint and, as a much smaller event in the cosmic scheme of things, this website begins.

My name is David, as was my father’s, as is one of my sons.  I am a husband, father, grandfather, teacher, student, occasional farmer, journalist, editor, writer and musician; a voracious reader, and an observer of life.  Taken as individuals, I like people. Taken as a collective, not always so much.  I try to listen as much as I talk. It’s good advice for all of us, but not so easy to follow, as I am reminded frequently. This leads to an important admission: I am a sinner who wants to be a saint, in constant need of course correction from within and without.  If I were perfect, I would already be dead, because perfection is not yet an app available in this world.  It is in the Divine Plan to release Perfection 2.0 for the human race. Someday.

Once upon a time I wrote and posted much online, but a few years ago I withdrew.  I realized that I was part of the problem and not the solution.  What problem, you may ask?  I was a contributor to the coarsening of culture and the disintegration of our civilization.  My absence went unnoticed by all but my dearest ones, most of whom understood.  The culture continues to coarsen and our civilization, if you can call it that, has become most uncivil.  If the direction of the fall is unchecked, I do not believe we will enjoy the impact.

I chose the title “After the Gold Rush” because I was a great fan of Neil Young in the ’70s. That is not true.  (Well, it is true that I was a fan …)  I chose the title because it is my belief that since about 1945, the people of what is commonly called “the West” (Europe and America) have chased after “gold” in the form of affluence, material goods, convenience, pleasure, sensuality and power.  We have followed our passions from pursuit to pursuit. We have reordered our lives around perceived riches and anticipated windfalls.  In doing so, we either lost sight of or rejected old values.  We pursued progress for the sake of progress, without pausing to ask, “Does this make me a better person?”  We just assumed it would.

I am not saying that the tools and toys we enjoy today are worthless or evil in themselves. (I just bought a new iPhone X, and I must admit, I’m loving it.)  It is not our gadgets and technology that is our problem (that could change with Artificial Intelligence, but that’s a topic for another day).  Our problem is that we have allowed our hearts and minds to grow numb to our basic spiritual needs.  We have fallen prey to the grand deception that simply because we employ great tools, we are great builders. That because we wield enhanced communication powers, we have become great communicators.  That because we can add a hashtag to any thought, we have all become great philanthropists.  Meanwhile, there is a world of people in pain, and we see them not.

Situational ethics have replaced traditional morals, and the result is that there is no consensus of what constitutes right conduct.  Since our laws and jurisprudence reflect shared moral and ethical beliefs, is it any wonder that many people have no faith in legislatures and courts, or police officers?

Family life is diminished. For some it is non-existent. Too many do not even care whether families are restored, or if they survive at all.  This is a failing of modern society, and it may well be terminal.  No stable society has ever existed without a foundation of strong family life.  We experiment today, but our grandchildren will be the ones evaluating the results.

Our political world is dysfunctional but we continue to treat it as just another game on Sunday afternoon, just as we now treat the Sunday afternoon game as an exercise in politics.

Is there no hope?  If I thought that, then I would become a serious doomsday prepper and stock up on freeze dried food and ammo.  There is always hope. We did not get in this condition overnight, and we won’t get out of it that quickly either, unless there is Divine assistance (which I do not discount).

There are many good people on all sides of the socio-political divide who want to see a better world for their children and children’s children.  What we need is to understand and recognize the remedies for our civilization.  They exist and we must discuss them.

I am not interested in litigating the results of the last political election.  If you are looking for a place to vent, go elsewhere.  Our political leaders reflect the spiritual and psychological health of the people. We must heal ourselves, starting with ourselves. Then we will see change.

I believe that we are not past the point of rescue, but it will take a willingness to step away from the conflict and tumult and become open to alternative ways of thinking and feeling.

I believe that we need God’s help for any real progress as individuals. I know this because I have experienced His healing and bear witness to its efficacy.  If you are not sure you believe in this God, I would invite you to at least entertain the possibility with an open mind and heart.  What is there to lose?

There is so much more to say, but time enough ahead to say it.  Thank you for being here, and I hope you return often.  I pray that in the time to come, we become fast friends. Perhaps even family.