Each step along the way during this presidential election has been painful. Unless he does something crazy (crazier) before Inauguration Day, he’ll be inaugurated president in a little over a week. The summer of 2015, I began watching open-mouthed as he sucked up all the attention of the press because of his asinine actions and comments. Then he ousted his competitors, and went after Hillary with a no-holds-barred campaign from hell, complete with help from the Russians.
I knew if he won we would not be the country we thought we were.
Yes, I’m sorry for all my friends and fellow citizens. I’m sorry to those around the world who look to us to be role models of democracy. I’m sorry they have to be disappointed in us, and we can never take it back because we really did elect him.
My word for last year was FIT. It was a good word, but ended up not the right word for 2016. Things didn’t fit so well last year. The word might have fit better had I not spent scores of hours watching and listening open-mouthed as our country went crazy. I spent too long watching him make an ass of himself, and later when he was nominated and elected, an ass out of our country.
This year my word is serenity because I have to find peace in the insanity. Everything doesn’t fit, but in the midst of the chaos we can have peace.
God is in control, and God has much to teach us in the U.S. We have painful lessons we need to learn. Lessons that we’ve been trying to learn for centuries. Lessons on systemic racism, fear, greed, ignorance, partisanship, the Constitution, lack of critical thinking, and, oh, so much more.
While we learn, God save us. I believe you can give us peace instead of fear as you teach us the lessons we need. Amen.
Isaiah 41:10 says, “Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”
Keep praying, Denise. I’m with you. Trump is not in control. God has a plan. And even in the U.S. we have checks and balances that I hope actually check and balance. Peace be with you!
Joy,
Thank you so much for your comment. It’s been five weeks now, and I’m still praying.
I’m actually enjoying more serenity now than ever because this process is so complicated, “folded together” or “tangled” as the etymology of complicated says. There are so many non-black-and-white issues mixing together that it becomes necessary to think a bit more complexly.
I liked George Clooney’s recent suggestion at the César Awards that it’s not Trump’s fault; he has just exploited who we have become. He quotes Edward R. Murrow and Shakespeare.
“‘The actions of [this president] have caused alarm and dismay amongst our allies abroad, and given considerable comfort to our enemies.’ And whose fault is that? Not really his. He didn’t create this situation of fear, he merely exploited it — and rather successfully.
“’Cassius was right. “The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars, but in ourselves.'”
I have hope that because our nation has had a mirror held up to itself, seeing what we have become, that we will learn again to have dialogue. Level heads will prevail and we can continue this 240-year-old experiment.
“I am not discouraged by [a] little difficulty; nor have I any doubt that the result of our experiment will be, that men are capable of governing themselves without a master.” ~Thomas Jefferson, 1787
Warmly,
Denise