Death Abounds!

   As we aged I once remarked to Joanne "We know more people who are dead than are living." That's a feature of long life. American COVID deaths exceed two hundred and sixty five thousand, more than the 2010 population of Buffalo, NY. Almost certainly that's a significant undercount. Why are we so blase' about this catastrophe? Compare the reaction to COVID  deaths with the reaction to the deaths at the attack on the World Trade Center. Is it becasue we lack a Walter Cronkite to give us the news? News has become fractured, distorted, propagandized so people don't know what to believe.

    Close to my home in The Little House three persons of my childhood recently died. Yesterday I blogged about Duane Engelsgaard. On the same day he died his older sister, Mildred, also died. About the same time Curtis Halvorson died. Curtis' family were also pioneers here and, like the Engelsgaards, were a large presence in my formative years. I even rented an apartment in Sioux Falls, from Victor and Emma Halvorson, Curtis' parents, my first year out of the Marines and back at Augustana College.

    The COVID deaths, as well as the death of the three Sinai expats, brought to mind John Donne's poem.

Takk for alt,

Al

For Whom the Bell Tolls by John Donne   No man is an island, Entire of itself. Each is a piece of the continent, A part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less. As well as if a promontory were. As well as if a manor of thine own Or of thine friend's were. Each man's death diminishes me, For I am involved in mankind. Therefore, send not to know For whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee.