How do you know when enough's enough?
Hillary Clinton has come to the end of her run, and will concede the race this Saturday. I didn't know until her loss was definite that she was really the one I was rooting for. The pundits all say that Obama has a 60/40 shot at being the next president, provided he can keep his head above water for the next 5 months. I like Obama. I'm not unhappy with him as the candidate. I just think Hillary could do the job better. We'll just have to wait and see if he does the smart thing and taps her as his VP. With both of them on the ticket, their chances of beating McCain go up exponentially.
The way our political system runs, either candidate could have bowed out at any time over the last 5 months. The Republican party certainly lost its share, with McCain emerging early as their front runner. All of them had to, at some point, say to themselves and their supporters, "Enough is enough." Call it a day. Move on.
I was listening to NPR (as I do every day), listening to post primary election coverage on Wednesday morning. One of the women guests, I forget her name, said in response to the question of why Hillary didn't concede right away on Wednesday after the polls closed that the grieving process hadn't ended yet.
I guess that makes perfect sense. She and her staff and legions of enthusiastic voters had to give up the dream of finally having a woman in the White House, as more than the decorative party planner. That hard a battle needs just as careful planning to end it gracefully as it did to wage each skirmish. No one can begrudge her a few days to mourn the loss of that war. Of course, she can always run again in three years.
This does not change the fact that once again there will be a man running the country. It doesn't surprise me that Americans would swing that way. The attitude seems to be that if a minority must be ensconced in the Oval Office, then its better that we start off with a man, and that he be at least partially white. Take it slow. Change is hard.
All this political drama does nothing more than highlight the inadequacies that plague my own life. It's only natural that it should, because as everyone who reads my blog knows, the world revolves around me.
I have never been that strong. Always content to let the world come to me. Sail past. Fly over. Speed by. But always from a safe distance. I can't even imagine what the world would look like from the inside. I know that this insulated bubble I live in is pretty fragile, and someday, sooner or later, something or someone will pop it like a shiny, iridescent sphere of soap.
I walked south a few blocks the other day, a sort of advance scouting mission to familiarize myself with the location of the nearest YMCA. It was hot and sticky outside, and the building is Under Construction, though still open to the public. I walked all the way around, trying to imagine myself walking through the doors, on a regular basis. I can almost see it happen.
Of course, the three big black guys standing around talking in front of the doors, sort of blocking the entrance like having to walk a gauntlet, was a little intimidating.
Courage, my girl. This is supposed to be an exercise in building reasons for going, not trying to talk yourself out of it.
What I should do is set a goal, a date, by which I must have at least gone for a visit to see the inside of the building. Who knows? Maybe I won't like the inside? So, if that's what I should do, then that's what I'll do. Today is the 6th. No later that June 14th (next Saturday), I will have gone inside for a tour.
Deep breath. This isn't the first time I've joined a Y. I was a member of one several years ago, and all with the same good intentions. But I did solitary things. This time, I intend to take advantage of the free member classes, and do things as part of a group. I've always been an exceptional student, after all. Maybe with a structured schedule, I'll be able to get something done.
Wish me luck...
Jinx
