99. Steady on

I could have titled this entry "Sad," because that's what brought me here. Feeling sad, bereft even, at the disaster this country has become. But . . . I can't do anything about it. I can vote, and that's it. Yes, I can get out and protest, but that's for show; it doesn't accomplish anything. If the majority of people in this country are too ignorant or Fox News–informed or selfish or rich or whatever, if they really want a baby dictator and they're going to keep voting for these sycophant Republicans because it's somehow going to make their lives better? . . . well, I can't do anything about that.

But I can take care of myself. 

Today on my afternoon five-mile walk, which I try to do at least four days a week, I listened to Ezra Klein in conversation with Pema Chödrön, and it lifted my spirits. Really, all we can do is be right here, right now—which was sort of the gist of their chat. 

It reminded me, too, of the Serenity Prayer—which I've only ever heard an abbreviated version of, via Alcoholics Anonymous; not realizing it was coined by Reinhold Niebuhr. Here it is in full:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen. 

Me, I don't hold with a God. There's obviously an order to life, but I don't believe in a "creator." Something happened there at the start—miraculous, sure, okay—and whatever it was, it kept going. But as far as I'm concerned, it's simply organic. In the above prayer? I'd cut it off just before "Trusting." Because whoever this "He" is that might make things right? He's not anywhere to be seen. (By the same token, though, if you believe in God, I have no problem with that. I hope your faith makes it easier for you to be in the world.)

Taking this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it.

That's Buddhist acceptance. Non-suffering.  

But that doesn't mean you don't push back. You can't just accept the bullshit. Which brings me back to my starting words. 

I don't accept what Donald J. Trump, or his minions in Congress and throughout government, have done to this country. I don't. But all I can do is vote.

And so: in the meantime, I will vote, in June for a gubernatorial candidate for my state; and otherwise I will continue to try to maintain a positive presence in the world. It's the least—or maybe the most—I can do.

+++++

Barack Obama admired Niebuhr. As he put it in a conversation with NYT columnist David Brooks, in response to the question, "What do you take away from him?":

I take away the compelling idea that there’s serious evil in the world, and hardship and pain. And we should be humble and modest in our belief we can eliminate those things. But we shouldn’t use that as an excuse for cynicism and inaction. I take away . . . the sense we have to make these efforts knowing they are hard, and not swinging from naive idealism to bitter realism.

Finally, here is a "short course" about Niebuhr, via a discussion. Very interesting.

P.S. Do I think Trump has even heard of Niebuhr, never mind "takes anything away from him"? No, I do not.