No one has to tell you that the world has dramatically changed over the past decade or two. And it most certainly has not changed for the better. You already know that.
This past week, we lost an important member of our close family due to sudden illness and numerous massive heart attacks. Dan was a husband, father, brother, brother-in-law, friend and the most amazing grandfather ever. Needless to say, we will all miss him deeply. He loved his family — first and foremost — more than anything else on this planet. Even more than he loved fishing! And that's quite something!
My brother-in-law Dan was a quiet man — mostly. Soft-spoken, gentle and good-natured, he was a man of faith and total integrity. Hardworking, honest, faithful, trustworthy and loyal, Dan possessed all of the best qualities that a good man can possess. He takes his place up there, in my mind, right beside Jesus and my grandfather. Three of the best men, I swear, that ever walked on the earth!
Why am I telling you all of this? Families everywhere lose loved ones every day. It's nothing new. It's life. You, also, may have lost loved ones. We all have. But here's the thing. The loss of even just one single family member can be absolutely devastating. Sadly, it can adversely affect dozens and dozens of people for a very long, long time. Our lives — the lives of those of us who are left behind — are thrown into a state of turmoil, confusion, sadness, depression and hopelessness. Sometimes we never recover from the loss. I know whereof I speak. I lost my second son — of four — exactly 11 years ago to the day that we lost my brother-in-law last week.
Tragically, you and I are not the only ones to have suffered such loss. Feb. 24, Russia invaded Ukraine in an unprecedented act of aggression, terror and genocide. Thousands of innocent men, women and children have been slaughtered without mercy and millions more have fled their homeland hoping to escape the horrors and ravages of war. Their lives have been thrown into absolute chaos. Most have endured the loss of everything they cherish and hold dear. Their pain and suffering are horrendous and beyond all imagination — all because of one deranged and diabolical madman who isn't even human. We've spoken of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his insane war on the Ukraine before. But what we have not spoken of borders on the 'unmentionable'! Dare you read more?
Nowhere in the world that I know of — in no country or continent — would a crazy, lunatic, madman brandishing machine gun, bazooka and hand grenades ever be allowed to wander around the countryside — at will — murdering, raping, pillaging, plundering and destroying the lives of thousands of people. No law enforcement agency anywhere would ever permit such a scenario for very long. Such a demonic waste of skin would either be shot dead on the spot — posthaste — by some gleeful, smiling SWAT team sharpshooter, or captured and ruthlessly thrown into prison until he could swiftly be brought to justice before the world courts and punished, with relish, for his unthinkable, dastardly deeds. Death almost seems too good for such a monster. Perhaps I speak what you were already thinking.
So why then, you ask, do our world leaders, politicians, and rulers not step up to the plate and put an end to this nonsense, madness and terror? How much longer must the innocent people of Ukraine suffer and languish under the hand of this demon spawn, before the world steps in and finishes the war that Putin started?
To fairly serve justice, some fiercely brave and fearless individual needs to stand tall and erect, and commit that one righteous act, and just do the deed. That's how I see it, at least, from where I stand.
