Looking out my Backdoor: Life wants to live

John stopped by and plunked a book the size of a dictionary onto my table. When we get together we invariably weave words into a maze of history, philosophy, politics: world situations as we see them.

“Ah, just what I need,” I said as I scanned the title. “A large dose of depression.”

He and I speak a similar style of tangents, so John rejoined with, “I read an article in the WP yesterday that implied we are lacking one main element in our outlook.”

“Intelligence?”

“Well, a little more subtle than that. Hope and Joy.” (Which are two things but I kindly chose not to quibble the point.)

“Ah.”

Jo...