The path forward

How can I not write about optimism today?

Last night, the wind sweeping through the forest sounded like the ocean. The air was so cool coming in through the open windows that I had to sleep under a down comforter. It was delicious. The Heat Dome has lifted, at least temporarily.

 And that other energy-draining, heart-stopping, soul-sapping Dome? You know, the one that was all-but-smothering those of us contemplating rule by, as Aaron Sorkin so succinctly put it, “a dangerous imbecile with an observable psychiatric disorder who relates to his supporters on a fourth-grade level and treats the law as something for suckers and poor people. And is a hero to white supremacists?” That Dome has lifted too.

 We can now breathe. And imagine a future that does not terrify us. And we can take a moment to marvel at what just happened: Arguably the most powerful and most privileged human on the planet just relinquished that power for the good of his country. Yes, it took arm-twisting and power-jockeying and politicking and a tsunami of disastrous polling numbers. Yes, it took too long. Waaaay too long. But just imagine the ego battle going on inside the guy. Imagine the “come-back kid” personal narrative that was so hard to let go of. Imagine the fear of facing one’s one frailty. One’s irrelevance. Imagine that you have lived your whole life with power and privilege and really don’t know anything else.

 But he did it. Did he do it for his “legacy”? His health? Did Jill finally talk some sense into him? I don’t know. What I do know is that, in the end, he did it for us. We have a chance now. We can–we should--listen with hope and optimism to our new candidate.

 Is she perfect? Hardly. Was I hoping (in my complete naivety) for a barn-burner of an open convention that would show the world what a vibrant democracy might look like and would show our party how many bright, talented people we have waiting to serve? You bet. Will I wear my Warren for President t-shirt until it falls off my back? Yes I will.

 But in this upcoming battle for the soul of America, we now have a warrior. A shield maiden.

We can breathe. We can join her.