Germany is calling for a new European treaty by the end of the year to clear the way for more European integration and a new legal foundation for the Union.  “Germany would like to see… a legal basis that would give the European Court of Justice the jurisdiction to monitor the budgets of member states and to punish deficit offenders” (Der Spiegel, August 27, 2012).

The summer Olympics of 2012 was a spectacular display of athletic achievement, performances, triumphs, world records and victories. Yet, there were also great disappointments, sorrow, drama, mistakes and disqualifications. As some athletes reveled in victory, others wept in heartbreaking defeat. The humanity of the Olympics was completely exposed, before our eyes, without anything being left out as the theme of “going for the gold” reverberated to the ends of the earth.

The U.S. has recently been hit hard by severe weather.  “Nearly 75 percent of the country’s corn and soya bean-growing regions have been hit by extreme drought”—although the total damage will not be known until the October harvest (Deutsche Welle, August 28, 2012).  Last year, severe storms in the U.S., “caused an economic loss of about $46 billion” (about $25 billion was insured).  Insured losses were more than double the 2010 record (ibid.).

In my younger years, I served aboard a ship of the United States Navy. Navy ships were always in one of three conditions—they were either underway, anchored, or in need of assistance in the form of a push or tow.  This is true of any working vessel. In the commercial world, a ship under power is productive. If it is anchored, it is doing nothing. If it needs assistance, it is usually helpless. Have you ever felt like you were in any of these conditions?

Do you play chess? Are you in the ranks of the great masters of the back row, or do you feel far removed from the “royalty” of chess legend—really not much more than a pawn (most of the time) in someone else’s game? Although some consider chess a bit too competitive, and others may think its intricacy and time-consuming nature tedious, there are some parallels between this not-so-simple game and the all-too-real game of life.