To be clear, I am a registered Independent voter and I deeply love and respect the Republicans, Democrats and Independents in my small, intimate circle of family and friends and neighbors. Somehow, we all have managed to agree to disagree, to understand that we all have different political issues that are the closest to our hearts, and never have we been unkind nor brutal nor disdaining of each other for seeing things in different lights. I have learned so much by listening to others’ insights, even when I disagree with them. Sometimes I have even had my mind changed. Never have I allowed politics to interfere with the bonds that I hold dear.
This has never been a political blog, nor will it ever be. I will take down any hateful, disrespectful, political comments. There are plenty of other forums available for that nonsense. That being said, I can’t ignore what happened on Tuesday. It makes me believe in democracy and the power of the people again. It makes me believe that above all else, there is an enormous group of people who want to get back to decency, and to the issues that most deeply affect the group as a whole, even when we disagree on how to address these issues. In reading about Tuesday’s results, these are the quotes that resonate with me:
“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” – Proverbs 16:18
“Character is destiny.” – Heraclitus
“We need to ask the uncomfortable question: Is making something easier always a good thing?” – Spencer Rascoff (on the ramifications of AI)
“Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” – Stephen R. Covey
And from Isaac Paul and The Tangle (a newsletter that tries to understand and explain both sides of the table):
“Speaking of messaging, the economy is still king.“
“Decency is about to make a comeback . . . . I think what we saw last night is a good reminder that you can run on decency and still win.”
“Colom is the same candidate who stood in line at Trump rallies, met the president’s voters, asked them about their concerns, and talked to them like human beings rather than try to prove them wrong or mock their positions. His race is yet to be called, but he may actually flip the seat blue. This is good politics.” (Scott Colom is the Democratic candidate who is still in the running to be an elected senator in the deep red state of Mississippi)
Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.