I am writing this on Christmas Day. After all the hype, the day itself is a bit anti-climatic; especially since we had our big family celebration last weekend: a joyous and chaotic gathering of four generations, ranging in age from 92 to 10 months of age.
Last night, on Christmas eve, Dan and I joined a smaller group of family and chosen family for a more subdued adult gathering, and Friday we will have dinner with a group of friends to celebrate Dan’s birthday. We are truly blessed.
And yet… this morning I am pondering a remark from last night’s gathering, expressing the likelihood of the re-election of #45. The remark was made with a shrug, implying there is nothing that can be done. The remark has continued to echo and ricochet in my thoughts.
If we (individually or collectively) convince ourselves that there is nothing to be done, we will feel justified in doing nothing, expending no energy to stave off what is perceived as inevitable. A self-fulfilling prophecy is ever there was one.
But, 2020 is no time to take cover and despair. Having failed to keep a morally bankrupt, racist gangster out of the White house in 2016, we need to re-double our efforts in 2020.
Dan and I are comfortable, healthy, financially stable, and nearing retirement. In other words – we have the tempting, easy option of turning a blind eye to the atrocities of this administration, and simply mind our own business, letting things play out as they will.
We have Grandchild #3 on his way. On this Christmas day I have been fretting about the legacy that my Boomer generation will be leaving for his. The challenges can seem overwhelming, but we simply must do our best to preserve our democracy and our planet. For their sake, if not for our own.
Merry Christmas to all. Take this time to take stock and re-energize for what is to come.