What's Always Around the Corner

In the Spring of 1969, my Junior year high school English teacher wrote this in my yearbook. At the time, it puzzled me more than it alarmed me. As I packed on the years, I would often re-visit it in my mind. With each re-run, my puzzlement changed to understanding and finally to anger at the stupidity of Humans. We are indeed, our own worst enemies.

Captain Stremba was an odd man. One of the best teachers I ever had. I am not sure why he and his odd way of looking at things stuck with me. I know now though, that that simple quote written in my yearbook affected my world view dramatically from that point forward. 

The quote made sense in 1969. America was at war with itself, in a hot war in another nation, a cold war with another, and working hard to kill Mother Nature. We were only just beginning to understand the ramifications of our actions, which prior to the 1960s America seemed to be clueless and ignorant of what it was doing to itself and others. In that respect, America is still trying to destroy itself, only now our self destructive tendencies are more transparent; not so hidden as they used to be.

Captain Stremba's thoughts on what he saw coming surprised me at the time. But I was still wet behind the ears really, even though I was sure I knew it all. It was not until I had been beaten up some and disappointed some during the ensuing years, did the real meaning of what he meant dawn on me. There are all types of degeneration floating around us all the time; personal; cultural, political, and spiritual.

It was one night when I was asleep on the floor in the lock up in Oakland County, Michigan that I woke up suddenly with that quote in my mind. It was then I began to really address my own personal degeneration. Within 3 years I was "sitting up straight and flying right" as my mom used to warn me before the shit really hit the fan.

The cultural degeneration Captain Stremba referred to continued, only in a different lane. Degeneration or Decay, if you will, is always in gear.  It surrounds us, eats at our ideals and given a chance will toss us into periods of deep despair and crippling ruin. It may change it's focus, but without due diligence on our parts, it will take over and kick us to the curb. So far, we have somehow managed to survive the worst of it. But don't be fooled. Degeneration is insidious and ever present, waiting patiently for Humans to stop keeping Watch.

Be wary of every corner you encounter. ........... Especially now. It is as bad as I have ever seen it. No period in my life is more primed to blow up in our faces.

Later ................................................

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I wasn't going to include a Metal tune for this post. Then I ran across "Degenerate", by Starset. The visuals of the video seem to fit nicely with the sentiments of my post.

But first, please listen to "Hi Ren", by Ren Hill, a very talented Welsh musician who has dealt with personal demons for a long time. His talent is awesome, truly awesome.