Browsed by
Month: August 2023

Whistling Past The Impossible

Whistling Past The Impossible

All things deemed “impossible” have at least one qualifying feature in common: they haven’t happened—at least, not yet.  For if something classified as impossible were to occur, it could not, by definition, remain so classed.  It would have to come off the list. Not only would the occurrence of an “impossible” event disprove its impossibility, it would reveal that the impossible had in fact been possible for some period of time—perhaps for only a moment, but perhaps from the very beginning.  During this interval,…

Read More Read More

Too Good To Be True?

Too Good To Be True?

An aphorism is a saying expressing the collective wisdom gained from the common experience of lots of people over long periods of time.  These homespun insights are not always true or universally true.  But they enshrine general principles reliable enough to have predictive value.  And because they transcend differences in age, sex, class, social status, and language (among others), aphorisms play an important role in shaping and homogenizing culture.  They also serve as safeguards for the young, sheltered, or naïve, against the danger of…

Read More Read More

Chance Meetings By Appointment Only

Chance Meetings By Appointment Only

The airport lounge was crowded with travelers waiting to board flights that would carry some to familiar destinations—their accustomed venues for business or pleasure.  In addition to these commuters were those being ferried to exotic locales of picturesque beauty and idyllic climes, the nearest thing to paradise on earth, and the perfect spot for that once-in-a-lifetime vacation.  Rounding out the manifests were those on missions of particular purpose—a job interview, a family emergency, a military deployment, a special occasion. One of these…

Read More Read More