I watched President Obama on 60 Minutes last night, which probably wouldn't have happened except I'd been watching the MSU basketball game and suddenly there he was. I watched video of his visit with Jay Leno earlier. He seems to be everywhere. How on earth does he keep strong and well and clear-headed? No matter what choices he makes, there are naysayers who don't have a clue what to do either. The fact probably is: no one really knows what to do and if any of it will make a difference. We may be on such a slippery slope, we can't stop until we crash into that large wall at the bottom. This is not comforting.
Barack Obama tries to be comforting; tries to be confronting; tries to juggle the economy, foreign policy, unemployment, education, health care, the environment, to name a few. And behind the scenes are many hard-working people, doing the best they can to unravel the knots this society has produced. Unravel them without unravelling us. It's mind-boggling.
Some say the President has no business going on TV shows like Jay Leno's. Yet probably more Americans watched him there than anywhere else last week. If he wants to stay connected with the public, which he continually says he does, he has to be visible, accessible so to speak.
As we walked this morning, Tessa and I, someone's SUV was warming up in the driveway. I wonder if the man started it from inside the house. After he got in, the garage door went down. You don't have a garage? You don't have a garage door opener? Don't you have a cell phone and a blackberry and an IPod and Wii? If not you are definitely not successful in this world. Because we've grown accustomed to our toys--yesterday's novelties becoming today's necessities. Maybe it's time for us to "divest" ourselves, if it's not too late.
Meanwhile, my comfort comes from the Center of all that is, including the Center in me. But even there, I ask stupid questions, wander around in confusion, nurse my fears and worries and wounds. Even there, I do not find peace today.
But there, and around me, I do find gratitude--for this hour, this place, this life. May you feel and express gratitude wherever you and the Center meet!
