Insecure Monday Musings

Don't get me wrong.

There's a lot to be thankful for.  Very much so.  I'm blessed with a loving, healthy family.  We have friends, comfortable jobs, supportive relatives, a wonderful church.  God has been good to us in many ways.

Benjamin is part of a One Act team that won Regional, and will be going to State this Saturday.

The Michigan Wolverines are 8-0 and are having one of their best years ever.

Alison and I celebrate 20 years of marriage November 9th.

There are many, many good things that fill my heart with joy.

And yet.....

Being in one place for more years than I've been anywhere, getting close to the same group of people, you experience more of the unfortunate consequences of life.  We have friends who have experienced death, friends who are facing sicknesses and in some cases terminal illnesses, friends fighting poverty and incredible odds,  friends struggling with many things.  Time doesn't stay constant.  There is always change, for good or ill.

My work, which has been a stable element in my life, are planning some substantial moves that could upend my own planning.  It is unclear what those changes might be, if any.  But whatever it is, it makes work more insecure and anxious.

I continue to have serious doubts about being able to make enough money at the things I love to do in order  to be able to move towards the next phase of my life.  I don't need to make a lot, but even the little I need to make seems elusive.  That's been a consistent story of my whole life. If it's something I love to do, I seem to be wretchedly incapable of making money at it.  Part of it may be lack of talent.  But it's mostly lack of marketing and promotional skills.  I think.  It's speculatory.

The most depressing thing bringing me down is the realization that.....

DEMOCRACY IS TOAST.

Hopefully it's just a mood, but I don't see how we get out of this election with our democracy intact. This is not a fear that Clinton and Trump are equally bad.  No, I refuse to indulge in that false equivalency.  Trump is the most unsuited and dangerous candidate in American History.  Voting for him is a rejection of everything that this country is supposed to stand for.  It is a vote for an authoritarian clown, one whose instability and thin skin will lead us into disaster after disaster.  He's a reality star, for God's sake, and not a very good one.

Clinton has the background and experience to be a good President.  She can make informed decisions.  Whether they're ones you agree with may be a different story, but at least I am assured they will be within the realm of the pragmatic,

The problem if Clinton wins is not Clinton.  It's that many of the supporters of the other major party have decided it is better to obstruct and bring all of democracy doen rather than work together to make this a better country for all.

The Senate threatens to not give a vote to anyone Clinton nominates for Supreme Court.  EVER.  They will let the Supreme Court wither away rather than replace those who leave the bench.  One branch of government wants to hold another branch of government hostage until they control a third branch of government,

The House threatens to hold impeachment hearings on Clinton even before she takes office.  They have concluded that their supporters would rather use the Congress to do this than get anything done.

The Trump people are threatening protest and violence and "second amendment remedies" if Trump doesn't win.  They would rather burn America down than accept an election result.  We're behaving worse than a third world banana republic.

I try to be at least a long term optimist.  But my faith is being stretched to the limit.  I'm really beginning to question how we get out of this one.

I can't see it anymore.

And that has me very insecure this Monday morning.

Until next time,

T. M. Strait