George Singleton laments man's disregard for the laws of nature

George Buster Singleton

(For decades, local historian and paranormal investigator George “Buster” Singleton published a weekly newspaper column called “Somewhere in Time.” The column below, which was titled “People disregard the laws of nature” was originally published in the Sept. 14, 1978 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

One of the greatest problems that confronts our existence today is our total disregard for the laws of nature.

We spend millions on the many ways that we can survive in the event of an atomic attack. We work countless hours on the many ways we can spy on our enemies.

But we never think about the greatest problem of all. This is when nature rebels against the abuse of mankind and the world turns topsy-turvy and our great societies, as we like to think of them, will vanish forever.

A canoe ride

Man’s living in harmony with nature is like going for a ride in a large canoe.

So long as everyone in the canoe sits in the middle and keeps it balanced, all is well. Each in his own way keeps the canoe on an even keel, and the canoe glides across the waters and all is well.

But let someone move to the left or the right or stand up for a moment, and everything is in chaos. Each movement is aggravated by the next. The canoe has tilted dangerously. Then, without warning, everyone and everything are thrown into the deep waters.

We must learn very soon, before it’s too late, that man is only a very small part of this great universe. When we realize that we are invincible – that we, too, can be destroyed as easily as we destroy – then we will survive.

Respect laws

We must respect these age-old laws of nature – laws that have been here since the dawn of time and will be here when man is but a speck of dust on the winds of oblivion.

We must turn now to make things right with nature, or man’s cries of agony will forever haunt the empty space that was once our habitat.

(Singleton, the author of the 1991 book “Of Foxfire and Phantom Soldiers,” passed away at the age of 79 on July 19, 2007. A longtime resident of Monroeville, he was born to Vincent William Singleton and Frances Cornelia Faile Singleton, during a late-night thunderstorm, on Dec. 14, 1927 in Marengo County, graduated from Sweet Water High School in 1946, served as a U.S. Marine paratrooper in the Korean War, worked as a riverboat deckhand, lived for a time among Apache Indians, was bitten at least twice by venomous snakes, moved to Monroe County on June 28, 1964 and served as the administrator of the Monroeville National Guard unit from June 28, 1964 to Dec. 14, 1987. He was promoted from the enlisted ranks to warrant officer in May 1972. For years, Singleton’s columns, titled “Monroe County history – Did you know?” and “Somewhere in Time” appeared in The Monroe Journal, and he wrote a lengthy series of articles about Monroe County that appeared in Alabama Life magazine. It’s believed that his first column appeared in the March 25, 1971 edition of The Monroe Journal. He also helped organize the Monroe County Museum and Historical Society and was also a past president of that organization. He is buried in Pineville Cemetery in Monroeville. The column above and all of Singleton’s other columns are available to the public through the microfilm records at the Monroe County Public Library in Monroeville. Singleton’s columns are presented here each week for research and scholarship purposes and as part of an effort to keep his work and memory alive.)