Sad, Mad, Glad

For months, I found myself unhappy and sad, occasionally morphing into mad. I didn’t see any hope of preventing the forty-fifth president from becoming the forty-seventh. Trump’s Project 2025 (his takeover plans) is extremely scary. An unSupreme Court seemed to be the Christian Nationalist’s answered prayer. With Project 2025 comes the end of our democracy and the start of an autocracy. I sensed a country in total disarray. The forty-fifth is a master destroyer.

I have always admired President Biden as a great patriot, statesman, and president, but his aging concerned many. He seemed deaf to all the pleas to step aside. I saw a disaster in the making. Helplessness and hopelessness stayed with me 24/7. At times, I felt out of control, and that’s not me. I’m ashamed to share my thoughts after the attempted assassination.

I have seen my fair share of adversities in my life, but I have always envisioned myself as one who sees the glass as half-full. It’s a cornerstone in my life. Suddenly, that glass became half-empty. My Via Positiva became Via Negativa. How did I ever allow the forty-fifth to overtake my life? But he did!

Then, President Biden announced he would not seek reelection. I felt instant relief, and my sad and mad state instantaneously became glad. The verse in Revelations 1:18 said it all: “I was dead, but now look, I am alive.”

However, Kamala Harris was not on my list of worthy candidates in 2020. Now, she’s back. Then, Via Positiva spoke. She was young, a woman of mixed race, endorsed by Biden, tough when she needed to be, and with a contagious smile.

Very quickly, the Democratic National Convention was happening. From the moment I turned the television on, I felt a surge of positive energy that became even stronger as the four-day convention continued. On the first day, Harris made a surprise visit, and her presence took the crowd there and at home to a higher place. Every speaker gave me even more hope. Michelle Obama took the crowd to a new dimension. Her husband’s speech was a classic. At one point, he said something and the crowd started booing. Immediately, he made them stop as he remained true to his slogan, “When they go low, we go high!” My feelings were that the Democrats were going to talk about issues, not character assassinations. That’s Via Positiva!

After Harris gave her acceptance speech, I felt a creative, positive high that I hadn’t felt for a long time. It was wonderful!

Her election theme is going to be about freedom—the freedom to vote, control our bodies, be who we are, marry who we want, practice equality and inclusion, continue the separation of church and state, eliminate gun violence, condemn censorship, and demand justice for all.

I have never been to a church service or another event that has so quickly changed my sad and mad mood to glad. Our country needs this positive theme to continue throughout the next four years because this attitude is what makes our country even greater.

I know Kamala Harris and Tim Walz don’t read my blog posts, but I hope my optimism and positivity helps them lead this country forward for the next eight years.

PeaceLoveJoyHopeKindness

Bil

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P.S. People often ask me provocative questions about current events, both religious and secular. I have found that some of these questions are being asked universally. I’ll be periodically alternating regular articles with one of those questions and my answer. I invite you to send me your question to bilaulenbach@yahoo.com.

Photo courtesy of Joe Biden (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)