I Am Wondering

 

I had to parallel park last Friday when I voted early. I shocked myself when I executed it perfectly because the last time I did it was when I took my driver's test. Normally I try to squeeze into the open spot head first. Two stars for me that day, the first for my perfectly performed parallel parking job and the second for voting Democrat across the board.

I am 58 years old.

I remember when the Vietnam War finally came to a close and, while looking down my street from my bedroom window, wondered why there weren't parades celebrating it like we did when WWII ended.

I remember sitting on the rug in front of the TV watching Nixon announce his resignation. Looking to my left at my mother in the kitchen, I wondered why she wasn't watching it, too. I knew what was happening was important, even though I didn't understand all of it.

Now, I am sitting at my desk at home wondering how a mad man, an unstable TV personality, is the President of the United States. I am wondering how he is getting away with spewing vitriol the same way a male cat sprays his territory. It stinks and it is all around us.

The press, the protectors of the people and the searchers of truth, are being called the enemies of the people and yet the band plays on. Innocent minorities are being murdered by guns and others are threatened by Improvised Explosive Devises. Hateful white nationalists commit atrocious acts because of the leader of our country's hate-filled speeches.

When I was young, I complained to my mother that Billy, the boy next door, was calling me names. She taught me the rhyme, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." She said to say that to back to him every time he did it. Not the best parenting advice, but she did her best. I wondered why she thought it would work when each time I felt the sting inside of me because of his name calling.

Words matter. "The pen is mightier than the sword." They are sent out of our mouths with energy and affect the listeners. Words contain a unique power, greater than fists.

I am 58 years old and I am wondering how will this spiral of hateful, invective, and manipulative language will end. The President is filled with puss and disease and with his words he is spreading it to those that are vulnerable, weak, and without an immune system.

What is it going to take to make it stop? I wonder.