Many people would agree that 2014 can't end soon enough. It has seemed, at times, that we have all been on a long downhill slide, greased by the hijacking of one of the world's great religions and the hijacking of one of the country's great political parties. Ebola taught us that the farther away from danger we were, the more hysterical we got. Ferguson reminded us that the divide between black and white is anything but black and white. The relentless physical assault of the planet may have started to be noticed. The divide between rich and poor kept getting wider, while the haves promoted even more ways to have. Cyber-terrorism started to manifest itself in earnest. We were told that we were the safest from crime than we had even been before. Our reaction was to buy more guns.
But, since LBL's mother always told her that if you don't have anything nice to say about someone, don't say anything at all, she will stop ragging on the state of Ms Planet and, instead, find the joy. After all, it's not the planet's fault. Earth was just hanging there, along with all the other planets, being perfectly fine, until Life discovered it. Then, like a case of fleas, Life was all over the place, eventually turning into Humans. Earth is still trying to cope, using things like the Polar Vortex as a way of scratching the itch.
So, in an effort to present what was great this past year, LBL has done a lot of exhaustive research. She admits that this has been tough. Mostly, sites like this are filled with the comings and goings of celebs, touting marriages, babies and awards. And, while LBL is filled with joy to see that several high-powered celebs found love with other high-powered celebs, without having to resort to the tedious steps required by online dating sites, she was looking for something a bit more significant.
Then, her Time Magazine arrived. She was gratified that Time's Person of the Year is The Ebola Fighters. For all the obvious reasons, these folks deserve the biggest shout out we can give them, especially because, ever since the daily screaming headlines about Ebola have disappeared, most Americans have pretty much forgotten what all the fuss was about anyway. And, like Donald Trump, many believe that, while these people are doing good deeds, they shouldn't expect us to extend ourselves if they get into trouble doing so.
If you have Time, read the article. If you don't, buy the magazine. The people highlighted aren't any smarter or more capable than the rest of us. They simply saw a desperate need and they responded. It just so happens that responding to that need put their own lives at risk. It was done in locations that most of us don't usually give much thought to, and under circumstances that most of us avoid thinking about.
So, here's to you, Ebola Fighters. You are making the world a safer place, without carrying, let alone using, a gun. You are making the world a more compassionate place, without having the dictates of a religion direct you to do so. You have reminded those of us who care about such things, that it is entirely possible to take a stand for others, without diminishing our own lives in the process.
The planet thanks you and can stop scratching for a moment.