Many Things in Life are Cyclical

But as I age, I have learned that cycles can be broken

Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash

After being alive for three-quarters of a century, I’ve come to accept that many things in life are cyclical.

I can depend on the daily cycle of twenty-four hours. Noon and midnight occur like clockwork, no matter where you may be in the world.

I can depend on the weekly cycle of seven days. The monthly cycle of seven thirty-day months, four thirty-one-day months, and one twenty-eight-day (and occasionally twenty-nine-day) month. The yearly cycle of twelve months.

I can depend on the cyclical nature of the four seasons each year.

I can depend on the annual recurrence of Christmas Eve on December 24, Christmas Day on December 25, New Year’s Eve on December 31, and New Year’s Day on January 1.

Knowing that such things are cyclical can help me sustain my sanity during challenging times. There is a certain reassuring dependability to life being cyclical. Cycles can ground us and give us a sense of stability, which can be especially important as we age.

But as I grow older, I have also learned that cycles can be broken. Here are a few examples of broken cycles that have occurred during my lifetime:

• I have watched Democrats and…