I went down to the King’ Residence, or as I like to call it “Gus’ Place”, in downtown Stockholm. I went there to witness the changing of the Palace Guard. Eva’s godson, Christopher, is in basic training to be a Swedish Marine and has pulled this assignment for the week. It’s an honor to be selected for the Palace Guard and as I was free, I was given the charge of recording the event for posterity.
The ceremony of the changing of the guard is not as familiar to the rest of the world as, say, at Buckingham Palace or the Vatican. Yet the ritual has gone on every day for almost 500 years. Every day since 1523, Swedes have served their King and protected Sweden in a courtyard and castle like this one.
It was a sunny day in Stockholm, much needed after some monsoon-like weather had rolled through the city the last few days. There was crispness in the air that announced that fall was here and that winter’s darkness was not too far off. The Castle’s courtyard was filling as the various organized tours were arriving with military precision for the high noon ceremony. The tour guides, like shepherds, herded their charges through the various stops to relate details and insure that the Royal Gift Shop was inundated with foreign credit cards. I had arrived about an hour early, and had squatted in position “A” for the upcoming photo op. I hoped that the scowling continence I wore would be enough to not only hold my ground, but also keep the elbows and hip checks to a minimum. The scowl was not difficult, as I had arrived from a dental procedure.
While standing there I was also watching the regular business of the castle, as workmen and staffers moved about, blending with the backdrop as they went through their normal routines. Delivery trucks drove up to the gate, some to enter the inner sanctum, while the others were shooed to other delivery spots as to not interfere with the upcoming ceremony.
I watched a truck pull up in front of the gate and the guard station. The driver hopped down from the cab, clipboard in hand, and headed for the rear of the truck. Under the “watchful” eye of the guard, our driver began to lower the hydraulic gate to offload the delivery. Only then did a veteran employee come out of his gate office, inspect the clipped on delivery documents and redirect our deliveryman to another gate. Up went the gate; the driver got back in the cab and pulled away. A scene that probably happens a couple of times a day.
After the ceremony, as I was heading home, I thought about the scenario I had witnessed and began to weigh it against other similar events going on in the world today. For instance, how would that play out say, in Washington D.C.? If we were to substitute “President’s Residence” for “King’s Residence” what would the result be? There would be a lot of difference, I think, from the way the guard reacted to the ability of getting the truck to the front gate in the first place.
If you read the news, especially the news from the United States, you get the feeling that the world has come off it’s hinges and is hurtling towards some untimely and chaotic doom. No place is “safe”. Be wary of people “different” from you. There are people who want to eliminate your way of life if not you specifically. Be wary. Be alert. Be afraid. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying that there are not terrible events going on. But if I weren’t told how bad it was, would I think it so?
I was standing in a courtyard watching a ceremony that had been reenacted by the Swedish people for 25 generations! I took comfort in that fact. Throughout the 500-year or so course of history, this small ceremony had continued. And there was no indication it would not go on for another 25 generations. Life and life’s ways persist.
OK, you say, Sweden is not under attack by an ideological enemy hell bent to use any means to undermine the United States and the form of government that has continued unchanged for over 225 years. These extremists “attacked” the American people. Their tactics killed over 3,000 of our citizens. We should be afraid, say some in the States. Reading the reports coming from our ally, Great Britain, their subway and rail stations have been exploded by terrorists for decades, yet they continue to lead their “normal” lives without the need for colored alert advisories. They are not being told to be afraid. And neither are the people of Stockholm and Sweden.
Americans live in a country where 42,116 people died in car accidents in 2001. In 2006, state governments are raising speed limits on their highways. They live in a country where 20,000 people a year die of the flu. No sterile facemasks have been issued to date. My opinion on people’s right to smoke is, it’s your life, do it if you want, just don’t blow smoke in my face. In America, 18% of ALL death is caused by tobacco. Has any Administration bombed tobacco plants because of their proven WMD’s? Not only is tobacco legal, the Federal Government subsidizes it! Americans should be afraid-but not of an ideology.
America should turn off their TV’s for about a month and get a grip on reality. You are being decimated by a lot more factors than what the people in charge of Big Government and Big Media are telling you. Most of the things that kill you are the sponsors of your “news”. Go to work. Enjoy your kids and family. Get out and smell the roses. Because they are out there, waiting for you to smell them.
“Homeland Security has issued this alert…Roses have thorns. Be cautious of suspicious looking red flowers!”
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