Long View

I’ve been thinking of this a long time – The Long View. What do I mean by that?

Perspective is one word that comes to mind. Balanced outlook is another phrase that partially describes my thought. Big picture view is another, the kind of scenic vista that includes all the moving parts that make up the scene. The view. The widest, deepest, longest view.

When I first moved to Chicago, I had to learn to drive on crowded expressways. Bumper to bumper traffic all attempting to go 50 miles per hour. Hopeless. Strangled and jammed up. When we did get up to a smooth travel speed of 30 or 35 mph, we did so tailgating the car before us. That made for anxiety every time a brake light flashed. Stop and go, squealing of tires, frayed nerves and tired drivers. And accidents.

A while later I learned to drive at least 2 car lengths behind the car in front. It allowed reaction time to brake lights and the stop and go tempo of the traffic. Over time I used my brakes less and coasted to keep the line of traffic moving, even if at a snail’s pace.

When speeds grew, I lengthened my interval from the car ahead and learned to ‘drive through their windshield’. This method allowed me to see ahead a few car lengths and anticipate stoppages and slowdowns. Later in the trip I noticed gripping the steering wheel more lightly and corrections to steering were less and less. The ride became smoother.

I watched barge traffic on the Mississippi River one day and noticed tug captains anticipating their curves by turning their barges before the curve; in smooth arcs the boat traffic navigated the river knowing the shifting currents and changes in river bank turns. It’s a lot like driving a jammed expressway in rush hour – anticipate maneuvers in advance and begin the actions. Result: smoother ride, less stop and go, and a more relaxed drive.

So too our journey in life. Focusing on the longer view lowers the anxiety of the short-term troubles encountered. Keeping an eye on the troubles only serves to distract us from the long-term objective. The journey’s ride becomes rough and turbulent.

Use this metaphor to understand and navigate modern day troubles. Some examples:

-        Career education; where am I going? Where am I headed? What should I study and prepare for?

-        What kind of house should I prepare to buy? What are my immediate housing needs, and what will those look like in 5 or 10 years? Will I need 2 bedrooms or 5? How many people will live in the family?

-        What car should I buy? Large or small, sedan or coupe, SUV or truck? Depends on the short and long-term needs, right?

-        What kind of community should I choose to live in? what kind of spirit do I hope is present among the people of that community?

-        What outcomes of government operations do I wish for? Independent living of the people, freedom to choose and live the way that is best for me? A place that will support the kids of the town and educate them well and fairly?

Travel down this road very far and I begin to realize my interdependence on others; and them on me. Life is not lived in isolation. It is communal in many ways. We share time, ideas, laughter and inspiration with one another. We share community. We are part of it and it is part of us.

The good, the bad, the ugly are all part of this very same community. We don’t choose those things or eliminate them. They are part of the landscape. We live with them and through them. They do the same in return.

The political environment of 2018 includes much we do not like. It is a mutual dislike. An uneasy peace. It is to be navigated like the rush hour traffic. People you don’t know are drivers in the same sea of humanity. I rely on their judgments just as they must rely on mine. Like it or not, we are in the same situation and must rely on this instant community to survive the experience.

The long view includes all the moving parts of the community. Known or unknown those parts are the challenges we must abide and survive, as well as we can.

In time this experience will toughen us and give us strength. In time the long view will pull us through to the desired outcome. Where are we going? What outcome are we wishing for? What values do we live by and cherish along the way so we still have them at the destination? All good questions. All with helpful answers.

So, Trump supporter or not, we are each other’s neighbors. Best we remember this for the long view. The destination will arrive sooner or later. But will the journey have been worth the travel?

May 11, 2018