So I asked myself if I am happy according to these three categories. I think so. I have a beautiful family and it makes my heart swell when I see that the three kids get along and the cousins like each other and maintain contact. I have a good husband, a partner in and for life, a high school sweetheart to a life time sweetheart. I adore the fact that the grandkids call us frequently and the older ones can indulge in great teasing bouts.
Fine books, a book club, great friends from all walks in life, music, shows, and a blog which allows me to express my thoughts and no one can shut me down. I am amazed that I have international readers and welcome them. And , I believe, I lead a good life, trying to do what is right, take the ethical path, and try to make my life meaningful. No. I am not perfect, but I do try to do the best I can and I do not care if there are people who oppose me. That is their right, mistaken as they might be, but I do detest the nastiness and pettiness that come with some. There is no need for that.
So yes, I am happy.
There are things that make me unhappy but before we get to that, ask yourself if you are happy and if not, then why not and think about how to make it better. The human condition allows us to fix things and if we are able to do so, if we live in conditions that allow us to do so then there is no excuse for not trying.
And what if the conditions are not conducive to happiness at times. Well, then do something. Say something. Write something. March. Protest. Talk. Even act out if needs be.
But being happy does not shut out the possibility and the living truth that there are things that make us unhappy. For example, I am extremely unhappy about the Trump situation. I believe he is actually a danger to us, to America, to the world, and in particular to several groups. Immigrants. Women. The needy. People of color. And yes, Jews. And do not tell me that he has a Jewish son-in-law and Jewish grandchildren. Everybody always has a favorite or pet Jew even as they allow and encourage anti Semitism to flourish. Deny David Duke in a powerful statement. Kick Bannon out with a great big thump! Warn the nationalists and the populists who are encouraged by you that all racism, all xenophobia, all such nastiness is not to be encouraged by anyone. Today in Germany they allowed a severely anti Semitic party to remain legal and earn seats in government and why? Because they do not as yet serve a threat to others. Really? They had seats in local houses of government and what? Do we wait until the danger is imminent and right in the face!!
Today there was a huge wave of live phone calls to Jewish institutions all over America warning of bombs, including right here in Palm Beach Gardens. What do we do when the inevitable happens and someone is for real or someone says to forget it, a hoax. What then? Where is the happiness then?
And where is the happiness when the nominee for Education does not even know the difference between growth and measurement. Lord in Heaven, spare us from such experts! Please! And spare us a nominee for Health who has huge holdings and even fooled quite close, possibly right into it, insider trading as he bought stocks that he knew would benefit from upcoming legislation. Smells stinky to me. Spare us from all those Fat Cats who are now going to become entrenched in the government, all the lobbyists who were supposedly to be gone. Money rules. Money talks and by the way, just forget the 18 million who stand to lose health coverage the first year as Obamacare is repealed and then all the others who will not be able to afford the increase in premiums, as much as 25%! Are we happy then? Are the constituents happy then? Are the Republicans going to keep blinders on and be happy that they were able to screw the Americans as they hewed to a crooked Party line?
So relax and take a trip to a national park and enjoy nature. But uh oh! Pruitt, the nominee has this marvelous take on his role as EPA chief - keep the parks but lets mine for coal, rip off the tops of mountains, strip mine, dig for oil and what the hell if there is a leak, frack away. Too bad for that land - there's more where it came from evidently. The hypocrisy and the oxymoronic statements and behavior is just amazing in a bad way. Sad. Wrong. Fantastically wrong! Not great!
So on Friday, when that man is sworn in and presents his speech, what will we get. If he sticks to script, we will see a bunch of lies as he brags of what he has not done, as he takes credit for what he did not bring about, and makes false statements about what he will do and accomplish. If he slips and goes off - well, who the hell knows! Hey, maybe he will tweet the whole thing in bursts of 140 characters and makes believe he is still an adolescent but then again - he acts like one and that is insulting adolescents! Let us see if he addresses these concerns: "We are all coming together at this pivotal moment to demonstrate that we will fight any effort to roll back the clock on access to health care coverage, our reproductive rights, the safety and security of immigrant groups and the policies and programs serving women, children and families and preventing them from falling beneath the safety net,”
"We have become a nation of victims. Every group with a sobriquet that survives two news cycles feels that it has been wronged. From ‘deplorables’ to Democrats; fly-overs, free-thinkers and fundamentalists; populists and progressives – all believe that they have been ignored, disappointed, and beaten down. All of us need to listen to find a better way."
That is the statement from the Simon Wiesenthal Center and it comes with a plea to Trump to bring the nation together - make us happy according to the opening of this piece.
Are you happy yet? Do you believe that he will do this., that he will give us the beautiful, the meaningful, the ethical. Perhaps we can be happy in our individual lives, but happy as a nation - grave doubt. Sad!
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