Imagine you were born in 1900. When you’re 14, World War I starts, and ends on your 18th birthday with 22 million people killed. Later in the year, Spanish Flu hits and runs until you are 20. 50MM people die from it in those 2 years. Yes, 50 million.
When you’re 29, the Great Depression begins. Unemployment hits 25%, global GDP drops 27%. That runs until you’re 33. The country nearly collapses along with the world economy. When you turn 39, World War II starts.
When you’re 41, the USA is full into WWII. Between your 39th-45th birthday, 75MM people perish in the war; the Holocaust kills 6MM. At 52, the Korean War starts and 5MM perish.
At 64 the Vietnam War begins. 4MM people die. At 62 years of age, the Cuban Missile Crisis. Life on our planet, as we know it, could well have ended. Great leaders prevented that from happening.
As you turn 75, the Vietnam War ends. Think of everyone on the planet born in 1900. A kid in 1985 didn’t think their 85 year old grandparent understood how hard school was. Yet they survived through everything listed above.
Perspective is an amazing thing! Let’s keep things in perspective. Let’s be smart, help each other out, and we’ll get through all of this. In the history of the world, there’s never been a storm that lasted. This too, shall pass.
-Troy