Daily, Donald Trump terrorized me as President of the United States. The civility, leadership, honesty and good service I expected from the President of the United States was lost. Instead we had a lazy braggart who played golf, cheated on his taxes and led in ways that manipulated, used and abused people all across our country and world. It was daily oppression with Trump.
Trump created trauma for lots of us. Rather than do the good work of uniting a country to empower the greater good, he continuously spread ridiculous, hateful, life-ending propaganda that fooled many and divided us as a country. He played upon old prejudices and myths to prop up his personal wealth, power, privilege, protection and pleasure.
Further, during his Presidency, COVID struck, and with COVID came Trump's botched, dishonest leadership which exasperated the pandemic and the countless pandemic limitations, struggle and tragedies too. Life as we knew it changed dramatically during COVID. Rituals we relied on were lost. People's livelihoods changed greatly. The activities we enjoyed were curtailed, and we were challenged to find the light in the dark COVID period.
People did rise. All over the country, people performed extraordinary tasks to make the best of a trying time. Many of us discovered new pastimes and lifeways that enriched our days too. Yet, if we could choose COVID or not, we would all choose not to have that tough pandemic time, a time that continues still.
So now as people emerge from the tight COVID restrictions and the deadly Trump era, there is a lot to contend with. For some, there's a realization all of a sudden of what was lost. As people look back, they are morning the loss of loved ones, special celebrations and other routines and rituals that were lost during that time. Many find their lives greatly changed due to changes related to jobs, health, relationships, education, opportunities and expectations. The world has changed a lot since COVID started and Trump took office.
Now is a time to build anew by renewing our commitment to the traditions we are invested in and by starting new traditions too, traditions that better fit the way the world works today. We have to both acknowledge the loss and struggle as well as move beyond it to a better place. Each of us will do that differently and clearly we will need to rely on one another as we move ahead. Good living is not a solo sport, but instead a collaborative endeavor. To live well, we need each other.
For myself, I want to think more about the great changes in my life during the challenging and traumatic Trump/COVID years, and I want to build anew with the focus on my central values of loving/caring for one another, preserving the natural world and working for the common good via efforts to better who we are and what we do.
We can do this.