Perspective

Pretty hard to find something to fall in love with on a frigid day that begins with an email from my bank informing me that there is suspicious activity on my credit card.  Right, I did not take long rides in three different cabs in NYC, stopping at a couple of McDonald's restaurants (and I use that term loosely) to pig out.  Maybe I can fall in love with whatever bank computer system took note of the uncharacteristic activity and put a hold on my card.

"Evil is very creative," said the poet Rita Dove in a memorable interview.  That statement has never left me.  I had always viewed creativity as a positive asset, an admirable quality, a rewarding occupation or pastime.  The idea that creativity could be a tool of bad people had never occurred to me.  Until that interview.  And today, in wracking my brain to try to figure out how some evil person got access to my credit card account, I was reminded of the quote.  What a waste, on so many levels.  And I almost want to pity the person who would use that stolen card on Big Macs and fries.  Seriously, how stupid can anyone be?  Talk about adding insult to injury.

So I am trying to put this in perspective.  I suffer the inconvenience of having to wait for a new credit card and having to inform any number of businesses of a new card number.  Pain in the butt, for sure.  But I am not held responsible for the cab rides and junk food pig-outs.  I can deal with it and be grateful that my bank caught it quickly.

But Evil?  In Paris yesterday, twelve people in the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical newspaper, were gunned down by three men.  It is reported that one of the gunmen yelled "Allahu Akbar"  ("God is great"), supporting the assertion that this was an attack based on religious beliefs.  Just try to wrap your head around that one.  Religious fanatics who claim to love God can brutally murder peaceful people in His name?  Not only is Evil creative, it is delusional, too.

So.  Perspective.  My encounter with the forces of evil is small change compared to the evil extremes played out in Paris yesterday.

And that's the best I can do today.