I remember my mother recalling going into the gymnasium on December 8, 1941 to listen to FDR broadcast that the United States was at war. Of course, when she mentioned it, I knew the obvious: the Allies won. We won. But for the parents of sons of her generation, it must have been a time of intense and immediate dread. Boys were going to die and no one could say they would be “other boys”. There were hundreds of other unknown outcomes and unawareness as to what the war years would entail. Everyone had to live it day by day.

When Chernobyl occurred, it took some time for the world to become aware of what had happened. In fact, it took a very long time for some of the dire possibilities of what might have continued to happen to even be acknowledged.

Now we have social media, as well as 24 hour news programs, discussions, opinions, analysis are a dime a dozen. I’m fairly certain the economy will take some hits; it has happened before. The generations after WWII have had it easy and have taken things for granted.

Now, we wait and see. And if one were to know he was to be killed in two days from a brain aneurysm, would it be better to fret or just do what everyone always says to do in good times – live the moments.