Sometimes people can’t seem to move forward simply because they hold far too fast to the past. I mention this especially now knowing that likely half of the voting public did not want Donald Trump to be elected. Well it happened, so we must now abide by the rules that have worked for our country for over 200 years. There should be no reason for demonstrations along with rioting in a few pockets of our country. Whether we voted for him or not, we must respect the outcome and remain diligent in working for the common good of our country. A fractured Republic is dangerous for not only our country, but the world as a whole. For better or worse, a great many countries look to the United States as a real democracy that’s worked for generations. We’ve managed to survive wars at home, and wars abroad, civil unrests, depressions, and recessions. I believe what’s helped the most is the balance of power between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches of our Government. We’ve had good presidents and bad ones, good legislatures and bad ones, and of course good judiciaries along with bad. People are people, and if there’s but only one who can freely do whatever he or she feels is best for all, we then have tyranny. Look at the millstone that’s been around the necks of the Russian people for hundreds of years. First there was their Monarchy, then Communism, and now pretty much a Dictatorship surrounded by Oligarchs who keep him in power in return for their freedom to control their economy and fill their off shore bank accounts with billions. No one must ever think we have it so bad, even after the unexpected results of our recent election. It’s time now to work diligently in establishing a common ground with everyone beginning at the grassroots level. If you’ve ever noticed, most good and lasting changes begin at the grassroots. It’s where people in communities discover their commonalities and start building on them. Tomorrow will be a better day, so let’s get moving onward and upward.
Every time Veteran’s rolls around, I begin remembering the stories told by not only relatives, but also clients and customers over my long years of working with the general public. I’ve heard some of the saddest of stories of how a son or husband was killed in action. Most don’t realize that a ripple or butterfly effect takes place when suddenly a human who was meant to live on, is no longer part of a family’s unit. First comes the grief, but then comes the lingering after-effects of the death in trying to fill the emotional “black hole” that was created. The first person I always remember on Veteran’s Day is a woman who not only lost her husband in battle during the First World War, but later lost two sons in the Second World War. If she were living today, she’d be an inspiration to us all. I once asked her how she managed to survive such losses. She calmly said, “I knew I had to do whatever was necessary to get me through it all.” She wasn’t much of a chatter box, and only spoke freely to those few who earned her trust. There was a great inner strength in her that could be felt. I kept in contact with her for a number of years until her death. Nettie is still alive and well in my memories. There was an opportunity for me to take the above photo this afternoon of the War Memorial in Central Park for my Veteran’s Day 2016 posting. The lighting was perfect!
