Now is the Time

“Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.”  I don’t know how many times I had to repeat this proclamation in my 9th grade typing class, over and over at the lightning speed of 74 wpm.  I have heard that this particular sentence was chosen for practice because it would use every finger position of my rumba-ready tentacles that waited patiently and poised for their turn on the typewriter keyboard.

I may have typed that statement 237 times, but I don’t think I ever once read it – I mean really read it – I just keyed it in.  With the introduction and awareness of political correctness (it would help if we didn’t have such an influx of this information, I can’t keep up with the current PC dú jour – and besides who is the “who” that decides what is right and permissible and what is wrong and pitched out with the bath water? What was “in” is now “out” and vice versa and what is out is so yesterday, but may come back in, so be careful what you say – but, I digress) this declaration was abruptly retired, typing classes mourned the loss and were in a frenzy to find other exercises for their idle appendages.

Once this profound pronouncement was not on the tip of the tongues (and fingers) of the nation’s typewriter ready youth, I feel there was a major shift in thinking.  These adolescents, while still in their formative years, were left to their own devices and began to think more of themselves than their neighbors.  What resulted in the evaporation of these 16 simple words was a whole generation of “me, myself, mine” thinking. I admit, I resembled that remark.

Luckily, in my mature(ing) wisdom, although somewhat shocked, I had to learn that I was not the only person in the universe.  I came upon this realization rather instantly after a 7-½ pound bundle of bouncing baby boy was placed in my arms.  His cries indicated that he was now first on the priority list (move over mom!) and he expected quick results for his rather vocal requests.  After years of being quite content in my own state of being, it felt good to share something with someone else – and not expecting anything in return (except for maybe 10 minutes or so of sleep).  This is when I finally got it, the meaning behind the words that flew off my fingers so long before.

I am on a one-woman mission to reinstate in the great learning halls of our society, the new and improved message of “Now is the time for all good people to come to the aid of their country”.  I think it has that all-inclusive sound that the censors are looking for and hits the target.  “Now” sounds urgent and immediate; “Aid” encompasses help, assistance and support, which covers the gamut and I don’t think necessarily means “throw money at the cause”; “to come” would imply bellying up to the bar and meeting the challenge (i.e. opposite of “to part”).  And I am sticking with “their country”, let’s assume these words embrace each and every citizen, of varying shape, size and ethnic diversity who makes up our unique land and includes all of “us-n’s”.  Once it hits the monitors and screens, let’s hope it will also be etched upon the impressionable, young minds… you know, the ones who will be making the decisions for the elderly in the future.

Although the antiquated Selectrics of yesterday have given way to the slick, sleek and sassy computers and Blackberry’s of today, I think the message is still a pretty good one.

Cynthia A. McClelland, curious observer of the obvious with interpretations of the oddities of daily life.  Mother, wife and lover of the furry, resides in the north Lake Tahoe area.

Cynthia A. McClelland © 2003-