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When I finally heard the news I’d been waiting so long to hear, it barely registered as a little blip in my emotional response. It was as if I’d stepped on a small acorn and let out an equally small ouch! Not at all what I’d expected.

In truth, coping with the presidency of Donal Trump and cohorts took a lot of psychic energy.  What a strange and needy man he is. A tragedy, really.  He is so unfit for the office, and is capable of  creating such chaos and damage.

His win forced me back to bed, where I hoped my brain would assimilate the significance of this event, left to its own devices.  Ding dong the witch is dead did get off the soundtrack of my tired mind. While in the shower, Biden’s victory became more real.  I began to feel some buoyancy!  Maybe water was cleansing my damaged self.  God Bless America actually came to mind.  I toyed with the idea of recording a  video of myself howling all the patriotic songs I know which is to say most of them!  So far, I’ve restrained that impulse!  Yankee Doodle Dandy was a great musical number worth recalling that brings the right amount of light hearted pleasure..

Now,  I just want to shout out halleluyah!! Trump’s tenure has made me realize how much I care about our country.  Thanks for that, Donny boy.To watch our nation and all it stands for be systematically dismantled for years, was almost more than I could take.

So now I say, go joe, go!  Your work is going to be grueling and I’m sure disheartening at times.  Let us know what we can do to help you out.  We will recover and hopefully be smarter for the experience. I think you’re a good match for these times.

Of course, I’m with those who’ve wondered how this happened here?  I now know it can happen here and it did.  The pundits will be assessing the finer meanings of Trump’s  nasty tenure for years to come. Unfortunately, I’m sure that Team Trump will make life difficult for those trying to uphold the laws and traditions.

But at this moment, join me in a collective exhale. Break out the bunting. champagne too!!  We did dodge a bullet. May the wind be at our backs and our resolve be strong.  May we remember the importance of the Greater Good.  And, may I say with conviction,at this moment  I’m proud to be an American.  (that’s a song too albeit, not a good one).

I don’t know how long I’ll feel this way, however, I think if I had an American flag to fly right now, I’d hoist it up! At least for a day or so!

Dianne Vapnek

In an attempt to slow life's quickening pace, I'm writing to share my personal perspective on the aging process, its dilemmas, the humorous self-deception, the insights and the adventure of it all. I spent the bulk of my time in beautiful Santa Barbara, CA, but manage to get to NYC a few times times a year. I've been a dancer/dance teacher and dance supporter almost all my life. For the past20years, I help create and produce a month-long creative residency in Santa Barbara for contemporary American choreographers and their dancers. It's been incredibly gratifying. This year, I decided it's time to retire! Big change. I also now spend several weeks a year in Kyoto Japan, residing for several weeks in the spring and the fall. I've been magnetically attracted to Japan for many years. Now I live out a dream to live there part-time.

3 Comments

  • Judith Wallner says:

    As always Dianne you hit the nail on the head. Thank you for putting it so well. I feel tremendous relief and very hopeful that our nation now will able to address the other crucial issues (ie Covid, climate change, nuclear proliferation, the mending of our relationships with the rest of the world etc.) Joe and Kamala will have a lot on their plates but they have many great minds to choose for their key government positions. Now I’m going to keep my flags flying at least for a few more days!

  • Elaine Nakashima says:

    Ditto to Penelope’s reply. Bravo! And no need to make that video–I can imagine it perfectly! I’m grinning from ear to ear just doing so, and singing along with you. Thanks for writing down what so many of us are feeling (and Van Jones demonstrated the rest).

  • This describes my reaction exactly. Such a relief. Beautifully written!

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