My Struggles

I don’t want this to get too personal, but I am having trouble getting by day to day. Some of this is caused by the exuberant holiday season in which so many of us hurl ourselves toward tasks impossible to accomplish by key dates like Hanukah, or Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Or Kwanzaa or whatever Islam dates are central to their worship.

It would appear that each person is hell bent on producing the perfect holiday for themselves and their families, or very special friends. Their dedication to this seems to be at the expense of their other obligations – work, health and sanity. The ideal is firmly implanted and that’s the objective they pursue.

Trouble is the ideal is perfect only in the mind and memory. Rarely is it possible to touch or obtain.

Life’s maturity teaches us this lesson. But we still are swept away in the hubbub just the same. And that’s precisely when the struggles begin.

The struggle to be yourself, true and honest, despite the cultural vortex surrounding you. The struggle to help loved ones understand reality and be reasonable in their expectations. The struggle to comfort when expectations are unrealized and sorrow and disappointment rage. The struggle to pay for all the hoopla and trappings of the season when their comfort and joy last but minutes or hours at the best.

You see my struggles are your struggles. You might not recognize them yet but you will. Time does teach us that. Surely it will. Perhaps already you are aware?

But my struggles are farther afield as well. I am concerned about the health and well being of my family – how well are they prepared to deal with the very real facts of life and still live joyous full lives? How well will they cope with their encounters with disaster and sorrow that surely are part of each of our lives? Will they accept these happenings willfully with open minds? Will they learn valuable lessons each occurrence contains for our understanding? Even our maturity?

Also, I am concerned for my country. It is in the depths of unrealistic expectations. The world has always been at our doorstep. The world craves security and health and wealth. America has that. Others want it too. This is only natural human behavior. Some of those ‘others’ want what we have by taking, not asking. Some feel entitled to our good life because they somehow feel we have caused them pain or poverty and we ought to make amends for that.

In this ballyhoo we have elections where those not in power seek to be in power. To get there they say and do outrageous things. Diminishing their enemies is one tactic they use. Disrespect is another tactic. All the while they are acting out others in power are doing the work we expect them to do for us.

Take violence in America. I guess we have always had violence by our side forever: the wild wild west is an example; so are cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, and sport hunters. Guns of all types are part of our history. But those armaments had a purpose of productive specificity. Not so much today; we buy guns and wield them because we are afraid of someone else, or something lurking behind the bushes or closet door, or perhaps we are afraid a birthright will be usurped if we do not brandish it now.

We are blinded by our own fears and bravado. Empty ones at that.

I struggle with this: a good and decent man sits in our Oval Office doing all the right things to keep us safe while everyone and his aunt and uncle decry his every move because nuts and crazies stalk our land and political campaigns. People are spewing nonsense and we do not heed or hear it. Instead we act let down.

In truth careful, wise diplomacy, military preparation, military readiness and actions, are taken in our name to protect us. It is most effective when unannounced and the foes do not expect us. We do not broadcast our moves in advance. We read the enemies, understand their motives and movements, and then take action.

That is how adults handle responsibility. They don’t jump up in a crowded space and shout fire. They do sit quietly with experts in countless fields and help them craft responses and plans to handle the many situations. They don’t call mass violence terrorism until they know it to be. They protect us however they can and will, not because some nut says so, but because they recognize the obligation to do so.

I’m proud of my President. He is a man of history, law, understanding and wisdom. His maturity shows. His braggadocio is absent.

Thank God! And thank you Mr. President!

Yes, I struggle, but Mr. Obama makes it easier for me.

December 10, 2015