A blaze of glory
“And so it goes” as broadcast journalist Linda Ellerbee used to say as she ended her news broadcasts. Some of you have no idea who she was, but I remember her well.
Her words seem fitting for this past year of 2022.
I’ve tried to remember certain events and happenings of 2022 and what comes to mind is the shock of witnessing a peaceful country much like our own being attacked by a ruthless leader of Russia who wanted control of the country. It bordered Russia. It had no problem bordering Russia. People there had families, went to work, went on family vacations, took pride in their country.
But Putin wanted the Ukraine.
I have a friend from there who escaped some years ago when the country was again under attack.
The family escaped to America and have made a life for themselves, but my friend has always missed the country of her birth.
She loved coming to our home in the country and sitting on our sky deck looking out at the pastures and at night at the star-studded sky. She told me it reminded her of her home in the Ukraine.
She has family in the once more devastated country. Her brother has been fighting for the country’s freedom. When I see how much damage has been done to this country, I feel such sorrow for the people. Children have been killed. Hospitals have been bombed, schools, libraries, civilians’ homes. They are living in places without power or even water supplies in the coldest months. I simply can’t imagine.
This country has a great leader, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has led the citizens of this embattled country into some great victories. Personally, I think Putin thought this country was an easy mark. Russian troops would move in an bring the Ukraine down in a matter of days. This hasn’t happened. No matter how ruthless the enemy is, and make no mistake, the enemy is Russia, citizens of the Ukraine will fight for their freedom. I stand by them and pray for their victory.
In 2022 our country witnessed an insurrection by misguided citizens who followed a “leader” who could not believe that other citizens of America did not vote for him, and the election had to be rigged. I am an older American now. I’ve voted since 1968, and being a newshound, even as a kid, I’ve followed elections. I loved it when the different political conventions were held, and each state announced in quite a flourish with whom they cast their vote. It was fun to watch and I don’t recall any candidates questioning how citizens voted.
Oh, there was the time of the “hanging chad” debacle in Florida when some kind of discrepancy from a computer caused questions to be raised about the vote count between Gore and Bush. The vote count was close and a recount was made. Funny thing is, there were no threats about voting in all the American states as being wrong and an insurrection was never even a thought.
Misguided citizens stormed our Capitol with the intention of disrupting the will of the people who voted to elect a new president. Seeing our government building being desecrated and our law enforcement being attacked brutally was unconscionable. Hearing these thugs chanting “hang Mike Pence” who had been the vice-president was appalling. In all my years as a citizen of this country, I had never witnessed such blatant acts of treason. But they did not win. These thugs and the person they followed and emulated will not be king as he so hoped.
Good things happened in 2022 besides our democracy being saved. A young WNBA basketball player who played for Russia in the off season, was used, in my opinion, as a pawn by the Russian government. After months of negotiation, she is now home with her loved ones. Many of us are hoping more Americans will be released this year.
And then we come to a football game, Georgia vs Ohio State, which was to determine who will play for the National Championship. Georgia had already won the SEC championship. And they won the National Championship in 2021 (played in 2022!). It didn’t look good for Georgia.
They trailed throughout the game. Then something miraculous happened. In the fourth quarter with minutes left. Stetson Bennett, UGA’s former walk-on quarterback turned everything around and led his team to a 42-41 victory. The clock struck midnight on 2022 as Ohio State’s kicker missed the field goal and the Dawgs won in a blaze of glory.
Happy New Year everyone. And so it goes.