My two faces
Those of us that work in education have to balance an unbridled optimism and joy that we want to share with students with the mounting frustrations we deal with. It presents an interesting dichotomy, but in my mind it is fairly easy. I am increasingly discovering that it is the adults that are the source of the frustration. When you keep peeling back that onion you soon discover that virtually all of the adults see eye to eye on what should really be done. We are just left to go with the flow in an impersonal system that has its own ways and own mind about such things. I have to practice turning off the frustrated face and switching the happy one back on.
Generally speaking, I try to be a jovial person. I haven’t always been this way. I experienced a bit of a conversion several years when I entered the hospital with a staph infection. I came out of that experience with all my fingers and toes and with a new understanding that nothing is ever guaranteed.
This is a daily battle. It is a daily battle to look at things from the bright side. It isn’t something that comes naturally or easily. Gratitude is a choice and it is one that has to be made daily. Grievance leads to anger, frustration, and more importantly envy. Envy leads to the dark side. This is where so many people are these days. Avoiding it involves seeing it and acknowledging it. It involves a self-talk that can bring me out of that head space.
The last several weeks in particular have produced three noble truths that I cannot ignore. First, I am angry. There is a meme going around where we acknowledge that both sides hate. One side hates women, black people, immigrants, liberals, and LGTBQ+. The other side hates bigots. Hate is a strong word, but the anger is palpable.
The second noble truth is that this anger is justified. I don’t think people quite understand what life is like for a progressive Christian these days. We feel that our faith has been hijacked on one side and is being mocked on another front. When we were growing up we learned what we were supposed to be as Christians. We were taught to love everyone. We were taught to accept everyone. We were taught that our love and charity shouldn’t come with strings attached.
Then, when we tried to live according to that creed we were told we were not Christian. We just weren’t judgmental enough. We were only Christian if we supported a man that represented every vice we were warned about growing up. So, that when we say we are Christian we are immediately judged by those that follow someone that represents just about everything evil in the world. Of course, we were then judged by those non-Christians that simply being Christian means you are an asshole like they are.
The anger is justified because it masks a profound sadness. It masks a sadness for the loss of loved ones that have been taken in by hate. They have been taken in by bigotry, grievance, and disinformation. I feel powerless to do anything and say anything. Decency has become a vice. Cruelty has become a virtue. Up is down. Left is right. Black is white. In this bizarro world, the ravings of a demented and evil man become virtue and truth. Of course, I’m angry. It is the stage after the anger that worries me.
Listening to Mother Blues by Ray Wylie Hubbard takes me back to reality. Days when gratitude exceeds expectations are really good days. And then there is Mose Allison “I Don’t Worry About a Thing”.
All those who fell into the Big Daddy Trump’s gonna save us trap put all their fantasies, hopes and dreams onto him. Wonder how this is gonna play out? DD thinks we are just gonna have to get through it for them to discover there are no big daddy’s to save us. I will not live to see it. Most of those kids who said the Pledge every day believed it. One Nation under God with liberty and justice for all. They will make it so.
1One of my all-time favorite Texas women, Molly Ivins, wrote an article back in the 1980s that just might be relevant or even helpful:
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/1993/05/funs-fight/
2Thank you, Surly Prof. Loved it, again.
Another reminder to never let those bastards have our sense of humor.
3I realize this doesn’t address your article Nick, but found this personal family story timely. A few days ago, my niece, daughter of my maga brother in Idaho, texted me for family updates, etc. She is pretty much like minded with me and totally the opposite of her dad. Our text exchanges led to me saying how anxious my family is to get the election behind us and hopefully a good outcome. She agreed and said her dad can’t talk about anything except what he sees on far right news. I said it’s just beyond me how anyone could think trumpf is fit to be our president. Her response was he wasn’t qualified to be her garbage man. Next day all the news hit about Trumpf’s opening act calling Peurto Rico floating garbage. Then yesterday there’s TFFG in a garbage truck and uniform. She had a vision I guess.
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