With one holiday behind us and a couple more to go, 2022 will rapidly come to a close. I’m sure many of you share the same sentiment, where did it go?
I feel like the last three years didn’t even happen. Our country and the world have endured some crazy times, yet we forge ahead. We also get to enjoy a short window where hopefully politics will take a breather.
I imagine many of you also share the pain of so much suffering we see all around us. So many lives have been lost to senseless murders, drug overdoses, car accidents. And there’s the crazy stuff like the young man driving headlong into the police recruits and ruining the lives of so many before their lives even had a chance to begin.
I’m bringing up the sadness of the world because it’s a terrible reality of life. We feel the pain of the families grieving. But if we didn’t have sadness, we wouldn’t know happiness. We need to continue with our lives, help those we can and work toward improving the world we live in.
I love Christmas. I still get child-like tingles as we get closer to the holiday. I try to milk it for as long as I can. Each year my wife and I put our tree up earlier and earlier because in a blink it’s over.
The Christmas season brings with it broader smiles, happier greetings and a coming together. Something we should all strive to keep going year-round. But alas, once January arrives, we seem to jump back into a normal routine of stress and watch another year begin to flash by. Though news headlines will still be filled with gloom, there are also good heartwarming stories.
Sadly, politics have been tearing this country apart, so much so, marriages have been destroyed because spouses don’t share the same view. Comedians, who spread laughter and smiles, are being canceled because there are those who want to control the jokes.
I’ve written before about my good friend who is as far left as I am right. We play golf, hit the casino occasionally, have lunches and never breathe a word about politics. Neither one of us feels the need to have our political opinions ruin the moment. The point being, we enjoy each other’s company and don’t find it necessary to bring in any tension just to prove which one of us is right. Because the truth is, we’ll never change each other’s mind, and that’s perfectly OK.
Government is necessary to give a country structure. However, the world over, government is what divides a country. And it does so with a vengeance.
If you could magically do away with the agencies that dictate our lives, we’d all be standing around wondering what to do. Then we’d immediately start building another government. And before long we’d be right back where we are today.
Power has a funny way of changing people. There are those who grab it and never want to let go like we’ve seen from so many having spent nearly their entire lives in public office. That happens even on a lesser scale when someone is elevated to management. I’ve witnessed remarkable transformations — and usually not for the better.
I’ve referenced before the CBS show “Survivor” as an example. Strangers are put together in a confined environment. For the first couple days, they’re all excited and lovey-dovey with each other. But it isn’t long before the back-stabbing knives come out. Some rise to the level of putting themselves in charge, just like our politicians.
True personalities rapidly emerge when they attempt to dictate their authority, and it’s usually the kiss of death. When they realize their time in power is getting shaky, they begin to campaign and buddy up to their constituents. They’re the ones who are usually voted off the island first.
With the elections behind us for now, we can all focus on shopping, vacations and family gatherings — though family get-togethers can be powder kegs if someone insists on talking politics. Good-natured bantering is fine, but these days it never stops there.
We can spar with each other, voice our differences, but we can all still be friends. The spirit of Christmas knows nothing of politics, and neither does it care.
It won’t be long before we’re overwhelmed with the next big political battle. The division among us will grow ever wider, and with Donald Trump running again, it will be a rancorous conflict. Politics has always been labeled a blood sport and rightfully so.
Before the bell rings for round 2024, let’s enjoy a few months of political peace and friendship.
Henry Schulte welcomes questions or comments at hschulteopinions@gmail.com.
