What a wakeup call!

The name of someone with whom I was acquainted many years ago just popped up in the Epstein files.

I will not identify him, because there is no indication that he was involved in any of Epstein’s despicable, odious, heinous — not to mention, illegal — activities. Nor do I have any reason to believe he was.

But what struck me was how small this world really is, and how easy it is for someone like me — or you — to be just one or two degrees of separation from an abomination like Jeffrey Epstein.

And I see in this a lesson for those who would rush to judgment on the thousands of people named in those files: Mere interaction with someone — being introduced at a social gathering, or involved in a legitimate business transaction — does not make you part of their inner circle. Nor do you “catch” another person’s worst character traits by being in their presence; it’s not a virus.

In these days when most of us spend at least some time on social media, it is too easy to make a snap judgment based on partial information. We need to be careful not to do that . . . because you never know when someone you once met, perhaps a long time ago, might drag you down with them.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
2/4/26