“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.”
—-John Stuart Mill
Every week I begin three or four blogs, and every week I end up unable to finish any. My blogs are a reflection of me, and I just am not able to reflect the optimistic person that I have always been. I try to look on the bright side, and for me there is definitely a bright side. I am stuck in this self imposed semi isolation with my very best friend...the man I committed my life...heart and soul to, and so I am never alone. We are lucky enough to have the food and shelter we need during a time when many don’t. My entire family is doing what they can to stay safe, and we get together every few weeks for a two hour ZOOM party. We share stories, play games and laugh a lot, and that helps to keep me sane.
That sanity, however, walks a tightrope that is fraying as the weeks turn to months. I miss hugging my children and walking through crowded farmers' markets. I miss “sister day” with Judy. Many years ago we vowed that nothing would stop our celebrating our relationship once a week, and nothing ever did...until Covid19. Who could have imagined? I miss picking my own food off of a supermarket shelf. Curbside pick-up is certainly convenient, but they just don’t recognize that perfect peach. I miss seeing my friends. We talk, text and try to remain current, but it doesn’t replace sitting across the table at our favorite restaurant with our friends.
I also miss the country I always felt safe in, as I watch illness and politics tear it apart. I no longer trust those who used to give me comfort. The CDC sends so many mixed messages that I never truly believe them anymore. The presidency, a position that gave me a “daddy is watching over us” comfort (no matter which party sat in the White House) through all of the disturbing times we encountered, now just adds to my distress.
I miss children and pets frolicking on the White House lawn. I miss George W’s crooked smile and Barack Obama’s self-deprecating sense of humor. I miss Bill Clinton’s easy going nature and George Bush senior’s obvious love and respect of family and country. They were strong men. I surely didn’t believe in all they stood for, but I believed that they were doing what they believed was best for our country.
These men faced ridicule and harassment from the public and the press. Bush Sr. had to raise taxes after his lips told us otherwise. Clinton had trouble understanding the job description of interns, and George W was a bit too quick to come to his dad’s defense. The press kept after them constantly, and somehow they rose to the challenge, as did President Obama, who showed us the meaning of grace under verbal attack.
The press is unrelenting when it comes to our current president, and I think that adds to our problems. It is obvious that Donald Trump can not allow these attacks to roll off his back, and it does none of us any good to get this man riled up. He spends all of his time in a war he can’t win with a media who needs to stop.
Right now we desperately need a media filled with Cronkite, Huntley and Brinkley types who we can trust and who will bring us the truth. We need these people to guide a frightened public to vote for a President who can work to bridge the gap that has become a way of life. We need them to show Americans that we can’t be “one issue” voters this time around. As important as abortion, gun control and taxes are, we are fighting for the life of our democracy in this election. To save the arm while we let the body die makes no sense. Let us rebuild the strong democracy that was, for so many years, the envy of the rest of the world, and only then will we have the luxury of voting for a single cause.
It is about now each week that I rip up what I have written, believing my readers are better off without my thoughts at this time, but today I let it stand. Today I ask you to vote for the integrity of our country. Today I ask you to see that winning at all costs can sometimes cost too much. Today I ask you to share this with your friends on social media and believe me when I say...THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION IN THE LIFE OF OUR COUNTRY. This will tell the world and ourselves exactly what kind of country America is, and I am hoping that the results will be the first step in our recovery.
I am continuing to read and am excited to share a wonderful new piece of historical fiction with you. Eli’s Promise by Ronald H Balson takes us from Nazi occupied Poland to post war Germany and finally to Chicago during the Vietnam era.
As always a complete review of this book follows my blog.
Happy reading,
- Beverly
—-John Stuart Mill
Every week I begin three or four blogs, and every week I end up unable to finish any. My blogs are a reflection of me, and I just am not able to reflect the optimistic person that I have always been. I try to look on the bright side, and for me there is definitely a bright side. I am stuck in this self imposed semi isolation with my very best friend...the man I committed my life...heart and soul to, and so I am never alone. We are lucky enough to have the food and shelter we need during a time when many don’t. My entire family is doing what they can to stay safe, and we get together every few weeks for a two hour ZOOM party. We share stories, play games and laugh a lot, and that helps to keep me sane.
That sanity, however, walks a tightrope that is fraying as the weeks turn to months. I miss hugging my children and walking through crowded farmers' markets. I miss “sister day” with Judy. Many years ago we vowed that nothing would stop our celebrating our relationship once a week, and nothing ever did...until Covid19. Who could have imagined? I miss picking my own food off of a supermarket shelf. Curbside pick-up is certainly convenient, but they just don’t recognize that perfect peach. I miss seeing my friends. We talk, text and try to remain current, but it doesn’t replace sitting across the table at our favorite restaurant with our friends.
I also miss the country I always felt safe in, as I watch illness and politics tear it apart. I no longer trust those who used to give me comfort. The CDC sends so many mixed messages that I never truly believe them anymore. The presidency, a position that gave me a “daddy is watching over us” comfort (no matter which party sat in the White House) through all of the disturbing times we encountered, now just adds to my distress.
I miss children and pets frolicking on the White House lawn. I miss George W’s crooked smile and Barack Obama’s self-deprecating sense of humor. I miss Bill Clinton’s easy going nature and George Bush senior’s obvious love and respect of family and country. They were strong men. I surely didn’t believe in all they stood for, but I believed that they were doing what they believed was best for our country.
These men faced ridicule and harassment from the public and the press. Bush Sr. had to raise taxes after his lips told us otherwise. Clinton had trouble understanding the job description of interns, and George W was a bit too quick to come to his dad’s defense. The press kept after them constantly, and somehow they rose to the challenge, as did President Obama, who showed us the meaning of grace under verbal attack.
The press is unrelenting when it comes to our current president, and I think that adds to our problems. It is obvious that Donald Trump can not allow these attacks to roll off his back, and it does none of us any good to get this man riled up. He spends all of his time in a war he can’t win with a media who needs to stop.
Right now we desperately need a media filled with Cronkite, Huntley and Brinkley types who we can trust and who will bring us the truth. We need these people to guide a frightened public to vote for a President who can work to bridge the gap that has become a way of life. We need them to show Americans that we can’t be “one issue” voters this time around. As important as abortion, gun control and taxes are, we are fighting for the life of our democracy in this election. To save the arm while we let the body die makes no sense. Let us rebuild the strong democracy that was, for so many years, the envy of the rest of the world, and only then will we have the luxury of voting for a single cause.
It is about now each week that I rip up what I have written, believing my readers are better off without my thoughts at this time, but today I let it stand. Today I ask you to vote for the integrity of our country. Today I ask you to see that winning at all costs can sometimes cost too much. Today I ask you to share this with your friends on social media and believe me when I say...THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION IN THE LIFE OF OUR COUNTRY. This will tell the world and ourselves exactly what kind of country America is, and I am hoping that the results will be the first step in our recovery.
I am continuing to read and am excited to share a wonderful new piece of historical fiction with you. Eli’s Promise by Ronald H Balson takes us from Nazi occupied Poland to post war Germany and finally to Chicago during the Vietnam era.
As always a complete review of this book follows my blog.
Happy reading,
- Beverly
Click on the book cover to order the title mentioned in today's blog
