"It's all because of Bush," I said, jumping into the monologue. "Rich's cancer. Your marriage."
Thoroughly apolitical, she looked at me as if my head were on backwards.
"You're joking," she said.
"Well, a little..."
This wasn't the place or person, and I wasn't sure what more I could have said.
But I've been thinking about this. A lot, recently.
And I wasn't referring to politics reflected in a confused and cracked health care system (my proximate concern) and economic struggles (a cause of her marital conflict).
It's that, little fish that we are, we all swim in the same big ocean. And I'm getting scared of what's floating by.
I'm scared of anger, arrogance, greed, delusion.
In other words: Patriotism scares the shit out of me.
Except that patriotism has another definition.
Barack Obama calls it "empathy." This fits nicely with the Dalai Lama's suggestion for true peace: "I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends."
Marshmallow-headed liberalism?
No -- a solution. That even the most "patriotic" and "conservative" have enacted, over and over. Our heads spin backwards trying to keep track who we should love (or at least make a favored trading partner) and who we should kill. Russia? In my lifetime, an enemy who became a friend and is now an acquaintance. China? Ditto. Similar reversals between the United States and Germany, Japan, Vietnam...you get the idea.
The current Republican team, in office and seeking office, doesn't get that their view of patriotism is a cancer, not any different from that snuggled in Rich's spine except that Rich's treatment is more painful and uncertain of success.
Cancers don't realize that their neighboring cells -- enemies! -- are really their friends. Cancer wins when their enemies/friends lose.
Then, everyone dies.
I don't understand, but I can't despair.
Candace
1 comment:
Candace, I (your old apartment mate) have only now read through your blog to catch up on Rich's condition since I saw either of you in June 07. I admire you both for your courage and ability to continue to "walk the trail". Of course you could say, what else can we do? But I believe so many fail to continue to take the next step. I wish I had some magic healing solution and if I was in town, I would at least offer Rich some Reiki but I do not even have asparagus to offer (although I plan to start growing some next year and since it takes at least two years to harvest, Rich will need to wait around at least until then to have some). I promise it will be organic. And if Rich's desire for my tasty asparagus is not enough to send away the chordoma, then have him pick another vegetable that has him drool and fills him with such strong desire to taste that the chordoma cannot possibly compete (and so leaves) and I will grow it for him.
Post a Comment