Little Reminders

Yesterday, my husband was out working on his truck. It seemed that the fuel pump had given up. He had been riding my bike to work as the weather had turned nicer and the troubleshooting he'd done on his truck had not as of yet yielded a solution to his truck's woes. While he worked, no less than three neighbors came out to help him. One man has known my hubby since hubs was a kid. The other fellow had previously loaned us his paint sprayer so we could paint our house. Nice guy. The other gentleman from across the street is older and has COPD, but he came out to help anyway. He's actually the one who figured out the relay switch was bad so instead of a whole new fuel pump, we paid less than $15 bucks for a relay. (Thanks, Ernie!) I could hear them talking and at times letting out mighty guffaws and there was even Canadian beer shared. It was one of those moments of Americana that we pride ourselves on. Neighbor helping neighbor. Coming together to help another person out. No one calling anyone a racist, a bigot, or a snowflake. Just people being kind to one another.

That's right, Goat. It was a lovely reminder of the important things in life. Moment of gratitude.

I feel like these kinds of stories need to be shared more as the political climate gets even more contentious. We've got a leader who lies, makes reference to made-up attacks abroad and at home to scare people, refuses to comply with ethics expectations that might hinder his use of the office as a money making scheme, and who has succeeded in deepening the gap between left and right in a way even Obama couldn't have done. I'm not afraid of changes--when one party takes over the leadership chnage is to be expected. However, these changes and the blatant misinformation and ethical quagmire of the current administration is mind-boggling. How are we going to endure four years of this?

Whelp. Ugly cry is one solution I guess. Been there. Done that.

I read an opinion piece about how the division in the county now is like a divorce ("The National Divorce" Aaron Loeb February 5, 2017). That the separation that started between the parties when President Clinton was impeached for a blowjob started the rift and that rift has only grown to the current state of things that leaves us with irreconcilable differences and divorce the only answer. *sigh* I can't help but point out the irony of people who remark about Clinton being an embarrassment to the office for getting a blowjob when the current Oval resident has appeared in pornos including golden shower type flicks, but ok. You wanna talk short term memory about how Bill Clinton's State of the Union speech contained almost identical policy points as the Fake Tan Commander? Well, maybe keep looking for comparisons and explain how someone reconciles the cigar shame to the pee shame while you're at it. Can we all just set aside the ridiculous Puritanical views on sex and accept that sex is part of who we are? I suppose that's a rant for another day. Anyway, that whole SoU speech comparison is a red herring as far as I'm concerned. It's something that people are clinging to in order to justify current immigration policy even though those policies were from 20 years ago and have been criticized (The Salon April 27, 2016 "Bill Clinton's Shameful Legacy on Immigration...") by those on the left for being harsh and detrimental to the family. As we learn, we adapt and change views. We liberals haven't forgotten, we've just recognized that the policy wasn't that great and should not be repeated kind of like Don't Ask, Don't Tell getting tossed out because it was not a good policy to continue. It got LGBTQ discussions and rights started again, but it was definitely not a place to stay or revisit. Also, Obama deported scores of people; the idea that leftists are soft on immigration is nonsense. They even gave him the nickname Deporter in Chief. Lack of faith in tougher immigration policy is not the issue here. Divisive rhetoric, old policy that made matters worse, and a Whitehouse that seems to legitimize White Nationalist views on immigration are. It sickens me that when I go to read opposing viewpoints on topics I am directed to Breitbart. No! That cannot represent conservative stances and conservatives should be loud in denouncing it. That's not news, but rather tabloid loudmouths who are no better than shockjocks. It's not a legitimate news source like The Hill or The Wallstreet Journal or The Economist. 

Seriously. Calling Breitbart a "conservative news source" is like calling this guy a misunderstood wayward son. Lucifer loves when we have sympathy for him.

This morning I re-read a piece by Jo Confino on Huffington Post from earlier this week entitled "A Zen Master's Advice on Coping with Trump". I've been looking for advice on how to navigate these choppy new waters I feel our country has been cast adrift in. Not being one much for praying, I thought maybe a Zen master might have insight. The article mentioned some of what I expected. Ideas like meeting anger with more anger accomplishes nothing were not a big surprise to find. I expected that. I knew that. The reminder is good though. Balancing of course came up, too; you need to balance the onslaught of information with mindfulness in order to rest and refresh. A quotation that I take to heart speaks of finding your own center rather than just reacting. I frequently see things that get my ire going, but if I can pause, breathe, consider, and then return from a place of peacefulness, I feel have a more rational discourse. The part though that will challenge all of us is the idea of he is me; there is no other. Recognizing that the person is not opposite or separate from ourselves, but rather we all possess those elements within ourselves is a tough one to accept in this situation. Trying to see parts of the Tanned Tangerine within myself is a difficult journey. It makes me queasy quite honestly. However, thinking of it as being consciously aware when we tell even white lies or speak meanly of another person or condone bullying behavior is recognizing his behavior in myself. I want to act against those things that I find abhorrent in him, I have to recognize them in myself and eradicate them within first. Goodness knows I cannot eradicate them in him. Only he can do that. 

I am a graceful crane. I am a graceful crane. I am a graceful crane dammit!

As I reflect on the kindness of our neighbors, I realize that I don't know their political views. I know that one of them is in the military, but beyond that I haven't a clue. None of them have bumperstickers or posted signs in their yards. They've truly been nothing but kind to us, and I hope we've been kind in return. I can't help but feel that if we are going to get through this incredible divide, we are going to have to look for moments like these. We're going to have to recognize that every bit of vitriol and untruth that issues forth from the mouths of our leadership needs to tempered with critical analysis. It needs to be considered and evaluated. We also need to monitor ourselves for our own muckraking and spreading of false information. Whether our neighbors are red or blue doesn't matter right now. What matters is that they came out and supported us when we needed it. We need more of that. A lot more.

Like a moose swimming in a deep lake, I shall persist.