The Bomb

While watching the movie, "The Big Lift", this morning a very chilling statement was uttered by actor, Paul Douglass, while the plane he was in descended toward a landing in Berlin, Germany shortly after the city was divided by Russia. The Berlin Wall was under construction, Berlin was truly divided, and it seemed armed conflict in earnest could flare up at any time. 

The statement which sent a chill up my back was from Douglass who, while looking down at Berlin during landing said, "We should have dropped an A Bomb down there". These words spoken in a film vintage (1950) about a real life episode (1948) are words I'd wish I never had to hear. 

Dropping a big bomb today, I fear, is just what some zealots are muttering under their breath. Our world is under so much stress even a little slip up could pop the lid off. I lived in fear during WW2, Korea, Vietnam, 9-11 and ever since. Living with fear these past 80 years has not been the normal fear but an underlying angst gnawing away at the pit of my stomach. 

Yes, I have lived my life as if I had no fear, always moving ahead accepting challenges and overcoming diversity. The thought of the unfathomable happening to our World I've rationalized to death. As Pope Francis tells it, we must bring a sense of sanity back into human understanding of life on our Earth. May you all embrace his words.

Ronald C. Downie