Watching it all from a distance

It is very easy for caring and compassionate individuals to lose themselves in the affairs of people and things they love. Their concern is often not limited to close loved ones, businesses and hobbies. Volunteering for and giving of self for the betterment of nation, state, community, church, service organization or involvement in any group that operates on the base premise of serving a greater good can be all-consuming for them. It is one thing to fully immerse oneself in such endeavors when selfless service yields positive results for all involved. Success is validating and bestows upon the giving devotee a warm feeling that their efforts were worthy of their sacrifice which subsequently contributes to enhancement of their sense of inner peace. Conversely, it can be very discouraging when positive results are not achieved. When failure becomes repetitive it can leave a giving soul feeling very useless and frustrated. Over time this leads to the hardening of the heart and a crusting over of the inner flame of idealism which often becomes an outer shell of a cynic. Even though in the midst a system where everything works and nothing in terms of outcome is certain, the shrinking criteria of what counts as a “victory” can effectively shut down even the most enthusiastic optimist. When every opportunity to move ahead is increasing muted by perpetual change or abject ignorance all efforts to affect a desired result become an exercise in futility. Suffering from earned penalties may be easier to accept than gratuitous non-rewards, but each produces their own form of misery. Becoming Sisyphus just for caring enough to be proactive simply doesn’t work for most. When it becomes apparent that we can only save ourselves, action must be taken. If nothing changes, nothing changes and stopping to reassess why we should care is certainly a valid call. It is not an unreasonable question to ask of ourselves: What we have to gain or lose from a given outcome?

Being the sort of individual who checks all the boxes as described above, I took the liberty of seating myself on the sidelines with regard to politics after the 2020 general election. After volunteering countless hours and donating thousands of dollars to Democratic organizations and candidates over some sixteen years and after stepping up to place my own name on a primary ballot for public office, Yours Truly took an extended sabbatical from all politics and political involvement. The result of this action can fairly be characterized as a huge step in personal self-care. Detaching from things I ultimately had no real control over improved my sense of inner peace more than any other self-intervention in my adult life. This cannot be overstated. Oddly enough, when it became apparent how little I was missed in the local political milieu, that feeling not only validated my action but boosted my sense of contentment if even for a short time. When it comes down to harsh reality, individually we are little more than just a mere single molecule in amid the vastness of the Cosmos.

The late writer/comedian George Carlin imparted a great deal of personal wisdom to us all prior to his death in June of 2008. It doesn’t require being an artist, a political scientist or even any brand of caring nurturer to see his words ring evermore true the further we evolve as a people endeavoring in this great experiment with human self-governance. We need not subscribe to every single point he outlined but taking the first step in answering that most important self-query, “Do I have any real emotional stake in a given outcome?” is essential in safeguarding our own sense of conscience. Also, understanding that we possess no power to influence any issue be it right, left or center is empowering. We as a species thrive on entertainment and placing all that happens in the context of one of the more boring election cycles in recent memory can be a stress reliever. It is best for optimum benefit to sit back and watch it from afar. As mentioned above, we need not be in lock step with Mr. Carlin to become an observer from the outside looking in. We don’t have to place ourselves at a great distance from the action to watch it all with a mix of wonder and pity ala Carlin. All the same, doing so can be very emotionally liberating.

Truth be known, we don’t have to give ourselves a full Carlinesque divorce from the fray to be a mere spectator at any given proximity. Simply being less immersed in the process can lend greatly to an elevated feeling of freedom. Speaking for myself, I no longer volunteer for a political party or any campaigns or donate money to any political organizations, causes or candidates seeking any office. Being an employee of my local county election board as an Election Day pollworker, I now enjoy basking in the irony of working in a space where all political speech, swag, signage and electioneering in any form is strictly prohibited. The extent of my involvement in the political process is now limited to the marking of a ballot during early or absentee voting. Although I may not be a full-bore cheerleader for a given outcome, I do maintain an awareness of what is going on around me and all that is happening in and to my community, state and nation. Having much less to consider in terms of outcome at this stage of life, it is now possible to see things as a distant observer with no angst and a heightened feeling of ease. It does make me smile to know that one presumptive Presidential candidate is finally being held to account by the justice system for once in his privileged life and may quite possibly find himself bestowed with the title of “convicted felon” before his party’s convention this summer. Seeing the incumbent President campaigning on his accomplishments and highlighting the mistakes of his presumptive opponent and the extreme policies of his opposition party warmly boosts my feeling of inner peace. What’s more, I smile when I see our President getting increasing traction with his message. It is not only inducing of wonder and pity but also gut-busting hilarity to see struggling Congressional candidates and beleaguered incumbents in highly competitive U.S. House and Senate seats attempt to walk back their well-documented previous pro-life proclamations in an effort to reinvent themselves on reproductive rights, an issue that is shaping up to be a huge millstone around their electoral neck. They all have a look about them that a big blue electoral tsunami is brewing for November and there is little they can do to stop it. Contrast this year with two years ago when they seriously underperformed in the 2022 Midterm netting results nobody of the Conservative persuasion ever saw coming. They have done little since to rectify their errors or legislate anything useful enough to boost their sagging popularity. Regardless of who does or doesn’t do whatever, nobody has to be up close or far away to see that America in 2024 is a nation at a crossroads of ideology. Come what may, one certainty concerning the outcome is that Yours Truly will be watching it all from a distance, feeling a healthy sense of detachment and smiling all the way about it.

Thanks for reading.