Continuing Care

This is my final commentary on the election. I need some closure. I’m done with all things political until 2018.

So this morning I woke up about 3:30AM; couldn’t sleep. It felt like there had been a death in the family…and yeah, the news was pretty bad. After a year or so on life support, they finally pulled the plug on stuff like decency, respect, and class. We had a new President-elect; in my mind, a dummied-down bigoted version of Chucky…born on third base and successfully stealing home.

I’ve been voting since the day Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated (yeah, I’m old); and this morning I still had a similar emotional hangover.

But I couldn’t be prouder of being a Californian. On November 8, the Golden state and the 6th leading economy in the world lived up to its name and administered the 61-33% drubbing hatred and fear deserve.

I just really wish my anger and disappointment would somehow vanish. I know my Facebook un-friends would like me to move on, “enough already.” And I will leave November 8 in the past and move on. But I need some closure.

I just haven’t found the medicine you take that makes you numb to racism and misogyny. Why does incompetence get a pass when it’s mixed with entitlement and narcissism? Why do almost half the voters trust a guy who’ll be in court for fraud and racketeering a few weeks after the election?

I don’t have any answers. I just take solace in 61-33%. Two-thirds of my California peeps said no to Make America White Again.

And I apologize for taking this stuff so personally but I just can’t help it. It’s like my Financial Coordinator isn’t a murderer or a rapist. My associate doctor didn’t invent climate change. And my team leader sure as hell better never be profiled as a stop and frisk candidate.

For me, the climate change toward hope is a tough one; it’s a lot easier preparing for the worst when a patient of over ten years feels comfortable enough to drop a racial slur on a family member on Election Day. My co-workers are family to me; and insults to my family project to insults to my mom. I see my team as I would see my daughters and I also see them as young replicas of my mom. They are not “crooked”; they’re not here to be groped, and it’s not acceptable to have others refer to them as “…a piece of ass.”

So I’m taking the advice of a trusted mentor. And thank you Mr. Gary Kadi.

Here’s our strategy for keeping us in the bubble and focusing on only the things we can control while we serve others; hope it works for at least some of that noble 61%

  1. People in our bubble can have their feelings and share them in a safe place without judgment.
  2. We’ll focus on what’s really important: family, health, success in our work and faith. We’ll shut down the news and Internet and focus on productive things like exercise, reading for inspiration, and maybe even trying some yoga or meditation.
  3. We’ll hunker down and come together with a focus on our company’s culture, core values, and vision.
  4. We’ll support one another and provide hope that this too shall pass and accept the things we cannot change; have the courage to change the things we can, and strive for the wisdom to know the difference.

We’re gonna live for the day, stay away from projecting into the future, and help another person today.

Easily written and now it’s time to go to work.

Von Bulow…out.