Page 42 - November 2020 Voices

GLEANINGS FROM THE GROVE

To Boldly Go

Paul Fanning, DTM

The news has not been so good. It has not been a naval corpsman. It was a world of peace

positive, uplifting, and heartening with the and huge technological advances, at least
much-anticipated lowering of the quarantine on the screen, that took me away from the
regulations, but a massive upsurge of cases, and day-to-day reality.
most sadly, of the rise of deaths attributed to the And I loved it.

Covid-19 pandemic. We are heading the wrong Thus, I ask myself, what can I do in
direction once again facing more controls, more today’s world considering the horrors
closing of public venues and events, and more of the pandemic, ongoing national
recommendations for sheltering in place. turmoil, and political machinations?

As for me, I am tired of it all. Two national I connected with a former fellow
conventions I had planned to attend cancelled, Toastmaster this morning. 2020 had
numerous shows, soccer matches and life either not been kind to him and his family—-
closed or put on hold. How much more can I take? closing of his employment, starting a

I am beginning to question my personal life goals new business in February 2020, two
and objectives. I am resigned to say that 2020 active kids at home that miss school
will be the year of the mask and social distancing and the myriad of activities now only
now bearing into 2021. I have heard for years a dreamed of, and the list could

quote from the 1966 Star Trek TV show, “Beam go on. I talk with others that I
me up, Scotty.” Now is the time . . . or is it? worked with or have known as
I confess that I watched the very first episode fans at Providence Park and listen to their tales
of Star Trek when it aired in 1966. At the of what they have faced this year. I think they all

impressionable age of 12, I was transported to would agree that “beaming up” would be a nice
another world, another plane of existence for a solution. Reality, though, requires us to examine
mere 55 minutes weekly. I reveled in the show, the our priorities, seek alternate solutions, and adjust
characters, and the “advanced” special effects of often in ways we may never have believed we

that vintage. (I shudder today watching one of the were capable of reaching—because the other
original episodes!) The reality was the Vietnam choice is not acceptable.
War and the protests, a sickly brother and a father One early episode of Star Trek had a character
that had been wounded in the Mekong Delta as say “A man either lives life as it happens to him,

42 ONE COMMUNITY