Fifty years from now?
August 19, 2011 (Friday)
Fifty years ago, in 1961, gasoline was 27 cents per gallon. Some average prices of that time: New car, $2850; Pound of bacon, 67 cents; Dozen eggs, 30 cents; Average income $5315 per year. Fifty years makes quite a difference.
A person living in 1961 could not predict what the world would be like in fifty years. It was an unknown quantity. That person could not foresee all the events that would transpire in history on the way to 2011. But that person could look back fifty years to 1911. What would he/she have seen in the look backwards?
The world of 1911 was teetering on the edge of World War. The streets of our cities still had many horses and horse-drawn vehicles. Many homes in cities did not have indoor plumbing yet. There was no air conditioning and anything run by electricity was an oddity. News was spread by newspapers, telegraph and telephone. Radio was not yet commercially available and television was non-existent.
The world changed dramatically during the fifty years before 1961, but it continued to change in the 50 years to follow. Being born in 1931, I have seen some changes in both eras.
Here we are in 2011. Many people are wondering about the next fifty years, but most are concerned about this year and the ones immediately following. Much uncertainty exists today. Are you afraid of the future? Then maybe the following illustration can help you:
At the Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, there is a statue of Atlas bearing the burden of the world on his shoulders. Across the street at St. Patrick’s Cathedral there is a statue of Jesus holding an orb (obviously representing the world) in his hand. The symbolism is clear and there for all of us to see. As the song says, “He’s got the whole world in his hands.” We know who holds all our tomorrows.