I had a bite to eat with a dear friend today and as it turned out we have both been feeling unrest the last two weeks or so. I’m hearing the same from others.
With the wind and rain swirling outside I have been paying heed to my unrest this evening, and while I think it is a combination of things, I believe I’m mostly sad for the state of America. It’s not about particular political parties or gender or race or class. It’s about humanity and how people treat each other. It doesn’t seem like anyone respectfully disagrees anymore (and I’m by no means excluding myself from this malady).
I think the difference between me 10 years ago and me now is that I see this so clearly now and want to stop participating. I was telling a friend that since declaring nearly a week ago that I would stay above the political fray, which in my view meant not watching any more politics in primetime, it has still come at me from every direction. The random guy in the cafe. The DJs on morning radio, which I tune into for classic rock and STILL get politics. The media summary that gets sent to my email box every weekday morning.
The level of discourse is so disturbing. Can’t we all just decide who we’re most aligned with ideologically and pull the appropriate lever in November? Can’t we be mostly positive with a healthy dose of skepticism where needed?
I think my unrest is best traced to this feeling that there is only a small percentage of people in our country who even care to elevate themselves or the national conversation. I am proud to be one of them.
Nothing is worth more than this day.
–Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Yes. One day at a time.
