We're Back!!

It has been an inordinate amount of time since my last post, but in an effort to continue my writing, and to offer a place to share a little bit of myself, here we find ourselves.

What an exciting time we are in! I am watching Barack Obama and Bill Clinton and after the ad tonight, I am inspired. Inspired and amazed. Inspired by Obama, because I do believe that he is a man that will legitimately offer positive growth for this country. I am amazed, however, at the short-sightedness and sometimes plain ignorance found by some McCain supporters. Now, let's be clear, there are plenty of Obama supporters who are short-sighted, ignorant and judge McCain supporters but this is what I read today...

"Poor people have been voting for Democrats for the last fifty years...and they are still poor." Now, first of all, you might know my thoughts on the word "poor". Call it semantics or what you'd like, but the truth of the matter is, ask the "poor" what they call themselves...many will say they are "humble" not poor. And, the fact that there are multiple planes of poverty, economics, physical, spiritual...Now, the piece that really gets to me is the fact that as the Republicans have won elections, the disparity has grown. And, at times, economic growth created while a Democratic President has been in office, has been reversed by Republican Presidents...ie Clinton to Bush. Now, there is conversation that Clinton did not leave Bush with a "surplus" but it is safe to say the Public Debt has almost doubled...regardless, disparity has grown under Republicans, or at least that is my understanding. I would be interested in literature stating otherwise.

Now, all that said, I'm one for working with others regardless of their stance, for the most part, but it really irks me when people want to live in a world where they don't have to interact, collaborate and explore with others. Selfishness and greed, seem to me, to be driven by fear and a myopic view of the world and life. Is it healthy to want to preserve certain things, sure, life, love, and other things. Most of all it just saddens me.

So much pain in the world, and when we have the opportunity to be with one another, sometimes we turn into ourselves. There is such great beauty and POWER in being together. To share in love, or friendship, or work. To CREATE together, whatever it is. Listening to ourselves, figuring out what brings us joy and what drives us. What as Pedro Arrupe SJ says, gets us out of bed in the morning, is a simply wonderful thing that can bring a real magic in to the world, if we only let ourselves embrace it. And we can! And it really is a lot easier doing it together.