Life Sucks

I had this good idea one the way home, and then the TV reminded me that this is the 5th anniversary of the World Trade Center going down. I almost didn't write this because I thought it might seem like just another 9/11 thing. (Like mass media has been doing for days now.) That's not what it's about, but it does seem oddly appropriate. So anyway..

I was standing in an almost empty parking lot between rain showers talking to one of my (local) friends. We found ourselves puzzling over another's behavior of late. As we tried to figure out what it might be, we bagan to realize it wasn't just that guy, it was us too. Why is that?
"It seems like everthing is bad and there's nothing we can do."

Yeah.

We're in a war in Iraq that doesn't seem to have any resolution in sight.
Let's not forget we still have troops in Afghanistan, and that should have been settled a long time ago.
TV keeps telling me the economy is getting better. Mine's not. I don't see that.
You can't go into public buildings with keys in your pocket. Don't even start me on airports.
Sounds like our leaders would like to throw some troops into Iran.
Even if all our troops could come home tomorrow, the cost will linger for a long time.
Our system does have checks and balances. We can vote people out. Two years from now. A lot of bad stuff can happen in two years.
The people in charge don't want scrutiny, so they point fingers at everybody else. Illegal immigrants. Gay marriage. Those evil scientists who want to do stem cell research to save lives.
Our reputation as a nation is in the toilet. We've thrown patience and tolerance out the window.
Then we had Katrina. More bad stuff. Bungling. Ineptitude. Those people still haven't got lives.
Nobody seems to know where Osama Bin Laden could be.
The Brits are doing a better job protecting our nation than we are.
We torture prisoners. In secret locations.
We spy on regular, law-abiding citizens. (The courts are saying it's illegal.)
I could go on.

But it's that last part the really twists the knife. "There's nothing we can do."
I'm not happy about where my country is going, how it's behaving, and I can't do much about it. I can (and will) vote when it's time. It doesn't seem like enough.

"Government of the people, by the people, and for the people..." I take those words pretty seriously.

So I decided I'm going to do what I *can* do. I'm going to take a step back, a deep breath, and try to ease up a little. I'm going to try to relax, be patient, be nicer to people and to myself. I'm going to spend more of my energy trying to have some fun. It seems like I haven't laughed for more than a minute or two at a time since.....too long.

Fun is good. So let's get this party started.
Thanks to all of you who read this meager blog and comment on it. Especially those of you in and from other countries, it gives a sense of perspective that I value.

So who out there needs a kind word or a virtual hug? Turns out I still have some left. :-)