This Just In — I hope your Thanksgiving feast was glorious. Of all that I’m thankful for, my daughter-in-law Jamie is probably at the top of the list this year. She served as the central organizing host of a family reunion stretching across the entire week. We got to the finish line with no emergency room visits, no police interaction, no major squabbles among six grandchildren (ages 4-14) and everyone leaving on good terms. Extraordinary.
As we all resume our routines and start cycling up for the next holiday, I’m struck by the sense of optimism that the grandkids provide contrasted with the anxiety and dread that comes with thinking of the next four years on the political landscape.
For example, yesterday I watched “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” with my four-year-old grandson. He would want me to point out that he will be five in a couple of weeks.
We watched this 1966 program, which I remember fondly from my childhood, with great delight. Early on, my grandson assured me that I shouldn’t worry, because he (the Grinch) will be nice at the end.
In traffic yesterday after dropping that grandchild back home, I had several opportunities to pause and allow another driver onto a busy road instead of the self-serving alternative. I took advantage of these opportunities to figuratively say “after you” and enjoyed the smile and hand wave that resulted.
So what’s next for me is to hang onto my determination that civility and joyful appreciation in my own life is going to continue regardless of what happens in the District of Columbia.
In making plans for what happened in the last week for the approximately 20 members of my family reunited for a short time, we practiced a lot of democracy. We surveyed the group about making plans, and we generally went along with what consensus told us to do.
I’m not unrealistic about this. I know that there is going to be turmoil and real suffering that’s going to result from America deliberately electing a criminal president. I know that young, healthy women are going to suffer and die for being deprived of necessary life-saving medical care because of politics.
I know that gaining control of gun crimes is going to take longer … much longer.
There’s a lot to worry about and be concerned about as we face what’s next. At the same time, there is a great deal that is right in front of us, over which we have immense control and influence.
Last Friday, my siblings and I drove down to Wilmington and scattered my father‘s ashes, now more than three years after he passed away. We all set a few words and did this deed, had a lovely lunch together, and then returned to Chapel Hill to our family reunion.
I can tell you for sure that my father would’ve been thrilled with our continuation of getting all the children and grandchildren together for this holiday. Although I wonder what he might think of the election results and what’s next for the next four years, I’m pretty sure what he’d say is … “It’s up to you. The torch is in your hands. My generation did its part and now you have to do yours.”
So the Grinch came to Whoville and stole all the toys and the decorations and the Christmas tree from the center of town. He was trying to stop Christmas from coming. He didn’t like all the noise of the singing and the celebrating of Christmas. He thought he could stop it by taking all of the objects that are associated with the holiday.
The Grinch discovered (as you know) that Christmas came anyway. He couldn’t steal the joy. The singing happened. The roast beast was served. The celebration of Christmas could not be denied in Whoville.
I hope that we will be so lucky.
Jean Bolduc is a freelance writer and the host of the Weekend Watercooler on 97.9 The Hill. She is the author of “African Americans of Durham & Orange Counties: An Oral History” (History Press, 2016) and has served on Orange County’s Human Relations Commission, The Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina, the Orange County Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, and the Orange County Schools’ Equity Task Force. She was a featured columnist and reporter for the Chapel Hill Herald and the News & Observer.
Readers can reach Jean via email – jean@penandinc.com and via Twitter @JeanBolduc
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