Eve of Destruction

It's funny, one always thinks of people in 'history' as knowing how it all would turn out. For example, we know that WWI lasted from 1914-1918 (or 19), and we know exactly when it began, and what the consequences would be.
But Alice didn't know. And Elsie didn't know.
Frankly, it's eerie to be scanning these sometimes, knowing what we know now...realizing that someone is writing to their friend three days before the world- their world- changes forever with the outbreak of WW1.
I only hope, as I relieve my childhood memories of looking at these postcards, that the writers and recipients were truly having 'the time of their lives' as described on their notes to each other. Not everyone came home, in fact, lots of men never came back at all, which is why people like Elsie ended up with Canadian soliders, emigrating as they did after the first war.
Sometimes I wonder if, a hundred years from now, someone will stumble upon our words and wonder the same thing: "did she know what would happen?".

"You had better live your best and act your best and think your best today; for today is the sure preparation for tomorrow and all the other tomorrows that follow.”  Harriet Martineau