If there was a way to ward off evil spirits, I would be at the head of the line. Just this morning, reading about a 94-year-old Asian woman being attacked on a San Francisco street, unprovoked, made my skin crawl. What kind of a world is this? Fortunately, it seems like the lady will recover from her wounds but sadly, might not be able to live independently anymore. 

This Wednesday, a 23-year-old Starbucks worker, who happened to be Miami Gardens' Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt's daughter, had a gun brandished at her in the drive-through window, allegedly over a cream cheese dispute — you can't make this stuff up. The Chief correctly stated that the "Community needs to take the streets back."

We have to maneuver ourselves through a world that is unravelling. James Alan Fox, a criminologist and professor at Northeastern University, was quoted in The Times Union newspaper:  "It's worrisome. We have a blend of people beginning to get out and about in public. We have lots of divisiveness. And we have more guns and warm weather. It's a potentially deadly mix." 

The ancients also struggled to find ways to mitigate evil. There has GOT to be a remedy that will encourage a return to more civilized times. Whatever we are doing is simply not working. No one should be afraid to step outside the door or go to work for fear of being randomly attacked. It should not be anything on anyone's mind. Everyone I talk to, without exception, says he or she is always aware of their surroundings. Will a cement block be hurled off the overpass when I drive to work? Is my car going to be OK in my garage or will a window be smashed out? Will someone start a shooting rampage while I'm shopping for groceries? We are in another pandemic in this country — one of excessive violence. But crime has existed since the beginning of time.

Forty years ago, a dig in northern Israel uncovered a magical amulet with symbols on it similar to hieroglyphics. The fifth-sixth century CE magical piece was unearthed near an ancient synagogue. This device was worn around the neck to deter bad spirits. It bears the Divine Name of God. Ancient Jews and Christians were not allowed to practice magic, which makes the find even more compelling.

Scholars contend that multiple religions across the world subscribed to amulets, like the find being studied, which depicts a holy rider spearing a dragon or a woman and a pierced evil eye on the back.

Largely, I believe people who are commit heinous acts struggle with demons. Mental health services are limited and not accessible to all. Resources must be boosted. Things are so out of whack now, it almost feels like we'll need divine intervention to help us return to civility. The ancients searched for ways to fight evil. Nothing has changed: we need to ramp that battle up, too — sooner than later.