And by "we," I don't mean just Democrats. I mean Democracy.
This morning I saw this headline:
Tonight, I saw this one:
Shit.
Whether crude face-saving ploy or cosmic irony, this election's over.
Shit.
Frail old grandpa or death-defying superhero, whodyathink is gonna win?
Shit.
The clock's running down and we got no team, no replacement.
Shit. Shit. Goddamn fucking shit.
What else is there to say?
Update, 7/18/24, 11 a.m.:
Well, I was pretty upset and frustrated yesterday, fellas. I still am; but please don't despair. Bad things happen, and we've seen a string of them in the last few weeks. But good things happen, too.
Perseverance through adversity is what makes a man a man: what has made many men worthy of our respect and admiration down through the ages. Even a girly boy like me can be a real man by that measure.
I really don't know if it's better for Biden to stay or go, or what the future holds for us and our country. But we can face it together if we hang tough, buddies. A good time may come yet. Keep a smile on your face and peace in your heart.
Cowboy up! The rodeo ain't over yet.
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2 comments:
Like you and so many others I have been following the news since at least 2015. I am tired, exhausted, disgusted, dismayed, discouraged. Feeling defeated at every turn. Leon and I have discussed what we would do to survive a government being run by the 2025 Christian nationalists And haven’t yet come up with a workable plan. With global warming uncontrolled, Canada might be an option. Though an unlikely or at least impractical one for us at our ages. For some reason, I am reminded of that old pop radio spoken recording called Desiderata. Gag me with pious platitudes. I’m afraid that’s not going to help.
I remember Desiderata very well, though I can't quote more than the opening: "Go placidly amid the noise and haste . . . " It was published first in the Reader's Digest, I recall, and the next year - 1971 I think - the recording came out and got a lot of airplay. I do believe I actually bought the 45. A lovely meditation.
I have my favorite prayers and psalms as well, and it's these things that sustain our souls we need to turn to now, not only in fair weather. I suppose the ultimate thing to realize is that we are not in charge of the world - so we have to cultivate that peace within us that we lack outside. Which is so easy to say, and so hard to do, of course.
But as someone has said, "My strength is made perfect in weakness." A profound mystery.
I hadn't thought about Canada getting warmer, maybe. The cold has always been the drawback to that idea for this Southern boy. Haha. But even if all doors and borders were open, it wouldn't do for M.P. and me. What would we do and how would we live when we got to wherever we went? What kind of life would we have? And M.P. couldn't bear to leave his children and grandkids behind. Better to just turn out the light and go to sleep at home, than huddle shivering by some faraway campfire - strangers in a strange land.
We're old men. We've had our day in the sun - and rainy days too, but that's life. Lately I've often been struck with amazement, realizing how many fanous people I have outlived - I mean the big names like Shakespeare, Washington, Lincoln, FDR, and so many others. And of course all those many guys we sewed the quilts for. They would have given all they owned just to have lived to this ripe old age as we have, wouldn't they?
So whatever happens, when it's my time to go, I won't fret - "right quickly will I come" when they call my flight. In the meantime, we have to hope - in fact it is our human duty to hope - that things won't be as bad as we expect. And meanwhile comfort and encourage one another. Vote Blue and fret not. That's all I know to say at this time.
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