By Jim Heffernan
I’ve been thinking a lot about the presidential election that just happened. I’m gob smacked! I was expecting the opposite result.
I should have known. I saw it happen once before in 2016. Then, as now, I was mystified that the country, and our county, is split in half by two, oh so different, viewpoints.
I see it as one side campaigned on grievances and the other campaigned on aspirations for a better America. Grievances narrowly carried the day.
Maybe I’m seeing it wrong. It could be my side is seen as pontificators. It could be distrust of incumbents drives half of us. It could be that corporate price-gouging was a cynical instrument used to fuel inflation and discredit my side. It could be that we simply recoil from the idea of electing a woman as president.
The one thing I do know is that I will never be able to truly separate what is my opinion and what is the truth.
My only recourse is to engrave the following prayer into my heart.
God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.
What happens in Washington is something I cannot change. It is what it is.
I am tempted to withdraw into a protective shell. I think the better path will be to summon the hope and courage to continue my writing and reading. I may never reach my goal, but I think I am getting closer.
As always, discussion in welcome at codger817@gmail.com