Rainy Days and Mondays

Good afternoon.  It's a rainy Monday here in the city...a very rainy Monday.  Sure has been a rainy season so far.  Lots of flooding.  I wonder if all this rain didn't have something to do with the manhole explosions.  Well, it's over now.  All is back to normal. It seems that the underground wires are covered with rubber, and as they get old, they begin to emit a gas...nothing related to the gas in our homes, but a gas nonetheless.  And, as more and more gas builds up underneath, all it takes is a small spark and hence, an explosion.  At least that is the way it was explained to me.

Finally got my new cable box late afternoon yesterday, and all is back as it was.  Except now I get up and I find out about the suicide bombers in Russia. Doesn't mean that it's going to happen here, but it's eerie to see all the police around again.  However, I have learned to live with this and realize that now it will be a part of my life.  There was once a time that I would get so scared that I would get off the train and wait for the next one because someone looked suspicious, but the fact is, I cannot...I will nor allow fear to rule my life. Of course, I am cautious, but I will not allow someone that much power over me.

What really bothers me over these suicide bombers is that they are done in the name of religion.  Isn't it ironic that something that is supposed to comfort us has been used as a means of control and to instill fear.  However, often religion is used...or misused...to perpetrate conflicts which have nothing to do with religion.  Those who actively perpetrate these acts of violence have little or no knowledge of the tenets of the faith in the name of which they commit heinous acts of violence and destruction.  But, it's not my purpose here today to bash religion.  I believe that each religion has its good points; it's what people interpret about it and how they utilize what they interpret. 

Here in the city, we're a hardy bunch.  Violence is all around us every day, everywhere.  Even in some of the safest neighborhoods, violence happens.  So, we can either cower in fear and and hide out in our homes, or get out there and live our lives.  I choose the latter. One day I hope to get out of the city, but for now I am stuck here. Life goes on, and I plan on living mine as well as I possibly can.