MEDIUM RARE Jullie Y. Daza To quote the novelist Louise Penny as spoken by a character in one of her books: “What’s a year? Why do we need a new year? Is the old one broken?” Clocks and calendars and countdowns, the new year has crept up on us and it’s now three days old. We are all three days older. Time to pause and listen to other voices in other rooms, for a change of pace, post-holidays. Sneak home and pray you’ll never know/ The hell where youth and laughter go. – Anonymous I know not what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones. — Einstein We can’t take care of tomorrow till it gets here. – Elizabeth George Tomorrow is a new day, with no mistakes in it yet. – from Anne of Green Gables “Ça va bien aller.” All will be well. One is alone when the last one who remembers is gone. I have nephews and nieces and kind friends – but there’s no one who belongs to the old days. I’ve been alone for quite a long time now. – attributed to Miss Marple, a beloved character created by Agatha Christie for her “cozy” mysteries Ad astra per aspera. Through adversity to the stars. – Motto of the British Royal Air Force There are 200 billion stars (but) 100 trillion cells in each human body. Each cell in turn is made up of billions of atoms, electrons, etc. – from Samuel Alibrando’s Nature Is Always Talking, describing the wonders of nature as “a technology far beyond the science of man” We all love a beautiful sunset, but we don’t know how to put together a sunset. – Samuel Alibrando From “Today,” a song sung by The New Christy Minstrels: Today while the blossoms still cling to the vine I’ll taste your strawberries, I’ll drink your sweet wine A million tomorrows shall all pass away Ere I forget all the joy that is mine today I’ll be a dandy and I’ll be a rover You’ll know who I am by the song that I sing. . . Today is my moment, and now is my story I’ll feast at your table I’ll sleep in your clover Who cares what tomorrow may bring. . .