As I sit and peruse Bloomberg headlines, charts, look back at the last week and try to make sense of what seemed like a senseless market (today is more normal), I am reminded harshly of how “senselessness” invades life as well. I am also reminded that unfortunately the questions of “why” are more baffling and more tragic when dealing with life’s “non-normal and senseless trends”.
Yesterday, my 14 year old son asked if he could go to the midnight showing of Batman with friends. I thought “why not?”. He is heading into high school. It is summer time. I have never been to a midnight showing of any movie, but have seen many a picture of people in line awaiting the newest Harry Potter, Twilight or what have you. They are always smiling when they go in. They are always smiling when they come out. Anyway, my son and friends ended up not going which was fine (we do not live in Aurora by the way). They reasoned they could see the movie over the weekend and still have a good time. I was able to have a normal nights sleep.
So today, when I awoke to the news of what happened in Aurora Colorado, it prompted reflection on the senselessness in life’s trends. Why does tragedy like last night happen? How can people enter a theatre full of joy and innocence and in an instant, have that trend reversed? And the answer is often, “I don’t know”.
Admittedly, there were times this week, as I sat here in the safety of my cocoon, when I asked the question of the market “Why?”. Why is trend down in the EURUSD reversing and trending up? Then why is the trend higher, reversing and trending back the other way? And the answer was often “I don’t know.”
What I do know with regard to the market – what I do have “faith” in – is that the trend (i.e., a normal market) will resume at some point. I don’t believe in the abnormal but in the normal. True to form, it only took until today to get back to what is “more normal” . No big deal.
The trend of normalcy in life was broken in a community in Colorado. The stories of the victims (and those who survived) will be told over the next few weeks – perhaps longer. It was a big deal. The trend in the victims lives as they entered the theatres were quickly reversed in an instant. The trends in the lives of their family and friends were reversed in an instant as they were awaken with the news. It doesn’t make sense.
What I do hope – what I do have faith in – what I do pray for, is that the trends in the lives of those who lost loved ones will be reversed for the better. I hope and pray they find peace with life again – some how and some way – and become stronger because of the aberration that was simply not normal. It will likely take more than a stinking week or two – it may take months and years – but I hope they are able to look for peace and “normalcy” and find it.
For those that have been injured, I hope and pray that the seemingly impossible physical and mental pain they now suffer will reverse and the positive trend of their lives will be reestablished. Don’t give up. Darkness does turn to light.
And for those that died, I have faith that the legacy left behind, the lessons provided others, the technicolor vivid memories friends and family are now left with, will live forever. No one can take them away. NO ONE. And I sincerely hope that the joy of riding that last trend into the theater was a great, great feeling. May you all Rest in Peace…
