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I know what happened at the Reichstag, I’m a bit of a WWII buff, but it has no bearing on today. What Putin did I honestly don’t care, it has no bearing on me or my life.

What does have bearing on me is living my life. I choose to do it with some optimism and fun. I don’t go looking for things in shadows, or constantly looking behind my back. I choose to not go down that road to madness.

I wake up in the morning, make some coffee, eat some bacon and eggs, then take what the day gives me. In the summer it might be striper fishing with my daughter, visiting and laughing with friends, just doing the things you do in Kentucky from day to day. I might wonder if the trout are biting in Tennessee, look it up and plan a trip. I might take a drive down a dirt road I’ve never been down, just to see what I can see. In the evening I might sit on the porch, drink a little bourbon, break out the old cigar box guitar and slide into some blues and watch the fireflies. It’s a good life. I don’t get all worked over things I can’t control. I won’t go down that road to madness.

In the fall I might watch some football, hopefully cheer on my Cubs in the World Series, go to a fall festival and eat things I shouldn’t. I might rake up the leaves then actually run and jump into them. In the evening I might sit around a warm bonfire and break out the guitar again and lead friends and family in a sing-a-long. If it’s too cold I might watch a good movie, call my daughter and catch up on her love life, or see if she needs any more money for college. It’s a good life. I don’t let myself imagine the government is out to get me, I’m not going to get all angry because someone, somewhere doesn’t believe the things I do. I’m not traveling down that road to madness.

In the wintertime, I might make a big pot of home made gumbo, invite some friends over for a friendly poker game and play until dawn. Or, I’ll get all warm and comfy in my chair, put on some good music and lose myself in a nice book. I might do some genealogy research, check for some guitar tabs for songs I want to learn, or fire up the shortwave radio to listen to strange and wondrous squeals and beeps from around the world. I’ll hope it doesn’t snow, then play in it if it does. I’ll follow every bounce of the ball while I watch the Wildcats play. It’s a good life. I won’t let every bit of world news throw me into paranoid rants and the darkest of beliefs. I stay away from that road to madness.

And in the spring, I’ll clean up the yard, mow the new grass and watch for the first hummingbirds at the feeder. I’ll get prepared for the joy of having my daughter home from college, plan fishing trips, get fishing equipment ready. I’ll plant some flowers, do a little landscaping, break and plant the garden. I’ll go to town and drink some coffee and listen to how everybodies cattle made it through the winter. I’ll help my brother get his pool ready and roast some hot dogs over a fire in his back yard. I’ll clean up the barbecue and smoke up the first ribs of the year. And when my daughter gets home I’ll again sit on the porch, drink a little bourbon, find out how far she has advanced on her cigar box guitar and watch for fireflies. It’s a good life. I won’t look under every rock for a conspiracy, behind every door for a spook. I just refuse that road to madness.

Call me naive if you want. I really don’t care. I look for the good in the world and in my life. I’ve found that’s what really matters. I’m not going to let you drag me down that road of madness with you.

I’ll travel my road, you travel yours. We’ll see who gets home with their sanity.

And with that, I’m through with your madness.