Peggy Tarr: Could be worse

There are many titles for the month of October including the following: Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 to Oct. 15), German-American Heritage Month, Polish-American Heritage Month, Global Diversity Awareness Month, National Crime Prevention Month, LGBT History Month, National Vegetarian Month, National Arts and Humanities Month, National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month, Positive Attitude Month, Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, ADHD Awareness (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) Month, Clergy Appreciation Month, American Pharmacist Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Down Syndrome Awareness Month, Dyslexia Awareness Month, National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

I chose the title for this article because of the depressing/negative experiences I have had recently. A sister-friend died a few weeks ago. As most of you know, grief does not disappear right away. I miss her. But, as my mom always told us, “It could be worse.”

Not quite a week ago, I learned that an out-of-state relative whom I loved was incarcerated for tax evasion. What a letdown. Yo tried to lessen my pain and disappointment with my mom’s saying: “It could be worse.” He was given a year of jail time rather than three to four years.

A few days ago, my computer was hacked. The I-cannot-put-in-writing-the-adjectives I have for the hacker who sent emails from my email address to everyone in my email’s address book stating that I needed help, that I was sending an email because I had laryngitis.

Fortunately, my niece’s son recognized the email as being a hack and alerted me. I started calling people to let them know that the email was not from me. Some folks recognized the email as a hack, but some did not. I do not know what happens if the person receiving the email responds to it. But why do people show their disdain for others by hacking? If there was ever a time I needed my mom’s saying, it was definitely in response to this blankety-blank hacker’s crime. “IT COULD BE WORSE.”

My mom’s saying did help lessen my anger and frustration by making me think of all the people in situations that break my heart: people in the Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Haiti and Florida for example.

A few weeks ago on the radio station WDCB, the Black bluesman Mike Wheeler sang a song with what I thought was the title State of the World. When I looked up the title in an effort to get the lyrics, I had no success and actually got the lyrics to The State Of The World performed by the Norwegian octet Kalandra. The lyrics are below. May peace and respect for others reign.

The State Of The World