As we prepare to turn our calendars over to the month of March, one is reminded of William Shakespeare’s warning: “Beware the Ides of March.” I’ve heard this phrase many times but never really understood what it meant. So, when in doubt, in this age of technology, check with Google.
According to Google: “The Ides of March is a reference to March 15th on the Roman Calendar and it is associated with misfortune and doom. It is best known as the day in 44 BC when Julius Caesar was assassinated. It was further immortalized in William Shakespeare’s tragedy – “Julius Caesar.”
“To beware” means “to be aware,” to know about something or to anticipate something so that one may react or respond in a way that avoids or limits harm or problems. So, be aware of pending doom. Lately, pending doom seems to be the lead story on every news report we see or hear. At times, it feels like all one can see on the horizon is doom and gloom.
Without engaging in political discourse (since we are not supposed to do that in Probus), there are a few things that have occurred recently that are related to this topic. But, the good news, I think, is that people are indeed becoming much more aware of the external threats we are facing as a nation – and are preparing to respond in proactive ways to face these issues head on.
It has been amazing and surprising to see how Canadians have been acting lately. The number of Canadian flags I have seen in our local neighbourhood, since “flag day” on Feb. 15th, is a strong indication of Canadian nationalism and pride rising up. Reports about Canadians who are either reconsidering or cancelling planned vacations to the USA and the intensity with which consumers are researching to ensure that they are purchasing Canadian made products, groceries and supplies is unbelievable. The volume of national pride and patriotism that occurred leading up to and following the championship game of the recent Four Nations Hockey Tournament was enough to register on the Richter scale. To top it all off, one fan who was interviewed during that game, was proudly wearing a cap emblazoned with “Canada Is Already Great!” Haven’t seen anything like that in a long time!
So, in the months ahead, all one can do is to stay alert, keep well informed, be aware of the pending situations as they change and think carefully about the best way for each of us to respond, as things unfold. As the old expression goes: “To be forewarned is to be forearmed.” Excessive worry, concern or panic is not helpful when facing difficulties. Or as one wise sage put it many, many years ago:
“It is foolish to tear one’s hair in grief, as though sorrow could be made less by baldness.” – Cicero
Jim McKinlay,
President