Peace in the East, Storm in the West

Today is the very last day of the month. And it doesn’t feel like just another Tuesday. It feels heavier, stranger, as if something is shifting beneath the surface.

This morning my daughter couldn’t say goodbye in her usual way. She wrapped herself around me in one of those forever-hugs, whispering, “I’m going to miss you forever.” She clung on as if she knew something I didn’t. She’s only seven, but she’s sensitive, tuned into things most adults can’t explain away. It landed in me like an omen.

And then, on the drive, the headlines came.

When the Generals Gather

The United States has called in its generals—every one-star and above—to Washington. Quantico, to be precise. All of them, at once.

That never happens. It’s strategically dangerous to pull all your top brass from the field, leaving fronts exposed. And it’s symbolically massive: the image of every general in one room feels like history folding in on itself.

Nobody knows what it’s for. Speculation is thick in the air: Taiwan, Venezuela, domestic unrest, or maybe just a cultural reset—turning “Defense” back into “War.”

On the same day, Trump and Netanyahu announced “peace in the East.” Which made me wonder: if there’s peace in the East, what storm brews in the West?

Rome on the Potomac

There’s that meme about men always thinking about the Roman Empire. Maybe it’s because America is our Rome. Still mighty, but fraying.

Wars fought, but not truly won. Vietnam: lost. Afghanistan: lost. Ukraine: grinding on. Empires in decline often reach for war as a comfort, as a way to distract from the cracks within.

I’m not anti-American; I’m a free thinker. Facts change, and I’ll change with them. But the pattern is undeniable: when the economy wobbles, war becomes the unifying cry.

The Hug That Stays With Me

Which brings me back to this morning. My daughter doesn’t read the news. She doesn’t know about generals in Quantico or peace talks in Jerusalem. She just felt something.

Now it’s September’s last day. I’ve got five hours of driving ahead, slides to finalize for next week’s Continuity event at work, and highways that feel busier than normal.

Maybe it’s just another strange Tuesday. Or maybe it’s one of those days history will circle back to in hindsight.

For now, I’ll hold on to that hug. And keep both hands steady on the wheel.