Note: I first wrote this on November 11, 2016 as a post in my Facebook account. I copied it to my blog for archival reasons, but didn’t make it public, for I normally want to keep my blog political free. After a few months of consideration, thought, and healing. I decided to post it on my blog. I’m not too concerned about it being political for nobody reads my blogs except some of my family. And I consider them safe people from judging me.
When I was a parent of young children ,I would be on my way to the basement where my workshop was, and I would often find a broken toy sitting next to basement door. I would take it to my workshop ,and more times than not, fix the broken toy. One time, I even took one to my place of work and had the engineers challenged as to how to fix it. When it came to broken toys, my children may have thought that I could fix anything.
They carried that attitude into adulthood. I would get calls to discuss them losing a job, a breakup in a relationship, or one of their kids acting out. They would call to share in the moment, but they also wanted to see if I had some advice or secret that could fix whatever was going on. Often, I would be able to shed some sanity into their life at the time. That may have enforced their opinion that I could fix anything.
Well, I can’t.
In the wee hours of November 9, 2016, we found that Donald Trump would be the next president. Like stepping on a rake, shock hit us.
Donald Trump is a man who some think was one of the worst choices ever to run for president and others think he may be able to fix the wrongs of Washington. Shock, anger, fear, disappointment, and many other dark emotions set in some like bad virus. Others felt elated, happy, hopeful, and filled with good feelings like the sun shining after a long rain.
The gulf between those who despised Trump and those who saw him as a savor not only widened, but became impossible to cross. Neighbors couldn’t talk to each other. Co-workers couldn’t discuss the results without anger and harsh words. Social media was filled with posts and comments that contained the worst in many. And, to be fair, the best in some. News media focused on those negative traumas that got eyeballs or sold newspapers.
Many felt their world was broken. And, in their eyes, it was broken.
Siblings exchanged messages that were filled with name calling, anger and hate. Damage was done to relationships that events in Leadville were never able to do.
Well, I can’t fix it.
If I could, I would. I know of nothing that should invoke such emotions and actions. But, this election did. Some of my children are handling disappointment much better than others. Some are not. I want to step in the middle, wave my hands, yell, threaten, and send everybody to their rooms until they can be civil with each other. But, I can’t. They are adults, not children. They need to be responsible for their behavior and deal with the ramifications of it.
I can’t fix this.
And, I’m extremely sorry that I can’t.