Author: Sharron Burnett

We may have come here on different ships, but we are all in the same boat now.   John Lewis

We had a hurricane here in the Houston area. In the aftermath of that storm just as with Hurricane Harvey from seven years ago we really did not think about our differences. Instead we knew that we were all in the same boat together and it had been a bumpy ride. We had a lot of cleaning up and repairing to do. After celebrating that everyone around us was okay we got to work sharing tools and brute force to get back to normal as quickly as possible. As we toiled in ninety degree heat we felt a commonality with each other. Our superficial differences of cultures, religions and races mattered not at all. We were simply a community of souls happy that we had somehow weathered the storm and its aftermath together.

As I drove around the city that is the home of six million people I saw the same camaraderie and resolve wherever I went. There were some tough jobs to do and some folks lost way more than others, but mostly we managed the four way stops at streets without traffic lights as politely as anyone might be. Houston was as strong and diverse and willing to pitch in to help those unable to do the work themselves as they have ever been. Somehow in difficult times we always put aside our differences and work together.

While the aftermath of the hurricane was sometimes difficult, it was wonderful to see people getting along so well. There were no discussions of our political divisions, no commentaries on the November election. For the moment we were simply focused on each other. We rallied to the challenges and overcame them together. We checked on our families and friends. It’s hard to imagine six hundred people mostly getting along so well, but that is how is was. 

As time goes by we will surely fall back into our routines and divisions. We will get sucked into disagreements over what is best for our city, our state, our nation as political candidates vie for our support. We may even forget how nice it was to just be a group of people with the common cause of making sure that everyone was alright. We will get busy being busy and perhaps only have enough time to wave as we pass by each other. We won’t feel as close as we do now until the kids fill the streets on Halloween or our neighbor, Patrick, has his annual Christmas party.  

We would do well to think about how great it felt to be working together the next time we get irritated with the political scene. Surely when all is said and done everyone across America is in the same boat just as John Lewis once said. We love our country and want  our democracy to thrive and prosper. We mostly hope to be able to celebrate the different cultures and ships that brought us to where we are now with unrestricted freedom. There should not be one way of doing things, one way of believing. Our ancestors came here fleeing from oppressive governments where they had little hope of enjoying the good life that we all have now thanks to their courage in trying something different. For some of us the ancestors never stepped foot on a ship because they were already here roaming the plains wondering who the invaders were on their lands. Still others were brought to our land in chains. Perhaps the ancestors even walked across a river or an imagined border hoping to find the same quality of life that we enjoy. However the people came to be here, we are surely now in the same boat. 

Our goal should not be to exclude a particular group or to elevate one segment of society over another. We should be dedicated to the same kind of idealism that drove our cooperation after the hurricane. We had to ration our water and our food but we shared whenever there was a need. 

I realize that resources in our world are finite. In America we are often blessed with more of them than those in other countries. We would do well to be conscious of our good fortune and to be willing to make do with with less so that more people will have access to the basic necessities of food, housing, and medical care. How much of a sacrifice would it require from us to help distribute our wealth to the sick, the infirm, the old? Most of us would never miss a dollar a day but that seemingly meager amount multiplied hundreds of millions of times would drastically change the fate of so many in this country. 

I’m hoping there will be no more hurricanes for a time. I am tired from bending and lifting and carrying the damage from the wind. It is very hot and will soon enough grow hotter. Those of us in Houston deserve a rest and a pat on the back. Once again we have done well, so why not pledge to continue to look out for each other in the choices we make at the ballot box. We really are in the same boat now, so let’s make the excursion a happy one for as many as possible.   

There are things that we humans do to others that I will never understand. Slavery is unthinkable to me. It is as obviously horrific as murder. There is no way, in no place or historical era in which I would have somehow thought it would be okay to treat other people like property, a source of labor and wealth. The same is true of true of believing that any one race or person or socio economic group is somehow superior or inferior to another. Why do we make so many aspects of our being into contests that judge certain features to be more beautiful than others? Can’t we see the innate beauty of each individual? Can’t we accept and respect people just as they are? 

Children are innocent when they are born and somehow over time we send them cues that make them believe that there are optimal ways of looking and being. We celebrate certain talents, skills, achievements, physical features. Whether directly or indirectly we also send messages that there are also human features that societies have deemed somehow less acceptable. The color of skin, the texture of hair, the symmetry of faces are lionized or even detested. Children see these things. They hear the praise or the insults and slowly internalize their feelings about themselves and others. 

I suppose that it is almost impossible to be totally neutral in assessing the people that we encounter but it would be so much better if we were able to see the beauty that lies below the superficialities of how genetics came together to create our images. Why do we literally find some individuals more attractive than others? Is this an innate or learned trait? Are we this way because of the sins of Adam and Eve? Would we be more innocent and loving if only they had simply enjoyed the perfection of paradise without bowing to temptation? Is their story simply a way of explaining why we humans become envious and sometimes even murderous like Cain? Did the ancient Greek tragedies foreshadow all of the horrific human made disasters to come?

If I had never experienced jealously or anger I might believe that it should not be so difficult to just get along with the people around us. Sadly I have known those moments when I was infuriated by someone’s slights or annoying behavior. I have known the green eyed monster of envy. I have met some people who came close to perfection but none that made it all the way. We all find ourselves saying and doing ugly or hurtful things. Our feet of clay sometimes set us off balance. Our shame and our apologies can’t always make up for the harm we have done. Bad behaviors strain our relationships or unravel them all together. In the worst case scenarios they inflict unforgivable pain. 

I have heard the religious explanations for why we are the way we are. I have contemplated psychology and learning theory. We humans have been studied for centuries by philosophers and doctors and researchers. We have some good ideas about how to raise healthy, happy children who will become mostly wonderful adults. We still struggle to understand what exactly creates a thief or a murderer or a dictator. Perhaps violence in childhood begets more violence as an adult but there are indeed cases of perfectly good families spawning a monster. I suppose that each of us is a complex product of our individual genetics and every single interaction that we experience. 

We will probably argue forever over whether we are born as sinners and have to be saved or we come to this world innocent and learn how to sin or not sin as we watch and learn from the people around us. it would be wonderful if there were some magical formula or elixir that might make everyone fair and kind. In a perfect world none of us would know what anger is. Everyone would be treasured as a unique gift in our midst. Life would indeed be a utopian haven of rainbows and unicorns. Instead we have to work at doing the right thing, being as upbeat and wonderful as we possibly can. 

The world seems to be a mess right now, but if we honestly look as far back as the first mutterings of written history we see that it has always been plagued with problems. We have improved many things but we can’t rest on our laurels as long as people anywhere are suffering because of their fellow humans. We really should base most of our decisions on what they will mean, not just for us personally, but for everyone across the globe. Our goal should always be to make the world safer and better. It’s nice if we have our comfortable homes and lives but we should never forget those who are less fortunate. There is always a way to share our bounty. 

Whether one is religious or not, the Beatitudes as writted by Matthew so beautifully describe the ways that we should strive to be. 

• Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
• Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. 
• Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted. 
• Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. 
• Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 
• Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God. 
• Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 
• Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

We may not always live up to these ideals but we should certainly teach our children to strive to be their best and to be forgiving and merciful when they or someone they know is not. We are not likely to eliminate crime or war or even family conflicts but we can keep trying to get closer and closer to eliminating some of our very worst habits. There is no reason to give up on ourselves or each other. Goodness grows from on kind act at a time. Our goal should be to do no harm as best we can.

I will be the first to admit that I am a confirmed perfectionist who cannot bring myself to do anything half way. Being such a person made me quite successful first as a student and then with my career. I’m not so sure that it has been as greatly appreciated in my private life. I often get the feeling that even the people who love me very much get a bit annoyed with the obsessive compulsive behaviors that constantly lead me to straighten a pen on a desk or tidy up the house twenty four seven. I belong to a group of people who are known for being tightly wound. It’s difficult for me to simply relax no matter what the situation may be. I care about everything deeply. I analyze and reanalyze every situation. It feels normal to me but seems to drive the people around me slightly mad from time to time. 

I suppose that I do indeed understand those who wish I would just chill from time to time because those who just don’t seem to care much about things one way or another often bother me. I can put up with their messiness as long as I don’t have to live with it, but when they don’t even appear to care about major events impacting the world I am totally baffled. “Meh” seems to be their operative word for any discussion of difficulties facing humanity. Part of me longs to be as emotionally detached as they seem to be and part of me feels intensely frustrated by their seeming nonchalance. I simply do not understand how they can care so little and in turn they view me as a ridiculously angst ridden oddity. 

I suppose that it really does take all kinds to keep the world running well. Perhaps such souls might teach me something with their nonchalance. Maybe I do get way too bent out of shape over issues and situations over which I have little or no power. I suspect that I overthink and over plan a bit too much. I’m so busy trying to make things run smoothly that I often miss the moments to just enjoy the people around me. I raise my own blood pressure when I think of all the problems that we humans must face. Now and again I indeed enjoy being around someone who just makes me laugh and relax, but I can’t seem to make myself tarry in such a moment too long for there is always so much to do.

My mother was much like me in her younger days but as she grew older she lost her reputation for perfection because she simply gave up the endless battle. She preferred a spontaneous drive to the ocean on a sunny day to folding the laundry and immediately putting it away. There were many times when she showed up unannounced at my home and found excuses to pull me away from my seriousness. It was as though she knew that I needed a break from attempting to save the world. 

My grandmother Minnie Bell often caused the wagging tongues of old school housewives to tsk because she often had dust on her furniture while she wandered around calling to birds. She was a fabulous cook but her home was sometimes askew. She perfected what she enjoyed and left the rest for another day which may or may not have ever come 

I suppose that I have seen a reflection of myself in my father-in-law since he came to live with us. Every single day is a repeat of the previous one with a routine that does not deviate in even the smallest detail. He won’t come out of his room without tucking his shirttail into his belted pants. I have yet to see his feet because he never appears in public without socks and shoes. I have learned to listen for the sounds that tell me that he is counting down the tasks of the day. It has taught me how unnerving someone like him and like me can be to others. There are times when I literally want to scream and ask him why he can’t let go for even a tiny bit. Then I remember that I am exactly the same way and I wonder how often I have made someone want to shake me, throw things around, purposely move that pen on the desk to a place where it does not belong.

Maybe we would all do well to have more balance in our lives. Those whose attitude is “Meh!” might put in just a bit more effort and those of us who are constantly fulfilling scheduled duties and plans would do well to just go outside and listen to the birds. Variety in our lives may be what we need to work together in a community of understanding. 

When Covid came around I discovered a new side of my personality. Because I was not going anywhere I allowed myself to dawdle in my pajamas in the morning hours. I did a great deal of reading while the chores around my home waited for my attention. I spent time talking with friends and family members on the phone. My pace was slower than it had ever been in my life and somehow it felt okay and wonderful to be that way. Sadly once we all resumed our previous lives I mostly fell back into all of my old habits, washing and tidying, worrying about what will happen next week, next month, next year, decades from now. I sometimes miss the pandemic version of me who was much more calm. 

I am older now and should be wiser. I don’t need to impress anyone with my dutiful behavior anymore. I really don’t want to be tied to a strict self created schedule of jobs anymore. I hear the ticking of the clock and realize that it is long past time for me to do the kind of things that matter so much more than having a perfectly ordered home. I want to be with my friends, especially those who might teach me how to say, “Meh!” now and again. I hear the doves on my rooftop calling me and the mountains that I so love are waiting for me. Maybe I’ll just step over the pair of shoes sitting on the floor and escape to a wiser more relaxed version of me. 

Last week Evan Gershkovich was sentenced to sixteen years in a Russian prison. Evan is a journalist for The Wall Street Journal who in the process of doing his job was accused of being a spy and held for over a year awaiting his trial. His conviction and sentencing was ultimately held in secrecy. His trumped up fate speak volumes about the corrupt nature of Russia where freedom of speech and press are restricted to the point of being nonexistent. 

Evan attended Bowdoin College in Maine, a highly rated “little ivy” where his professors regarded him as a brilliant and gifted writer. Because his parents were immigrants from Russia he grew up hearing and speaking the language of that country. After landing a job writing for The Wall Street Journal it was only fitting that they would ask him to write about the country from which his ancestors had hailed. 

Initially Evan did remote reporting from London where he would reach out to contacts who kept him informed. Eventually he decided to enhance is articles by reporting on the scene. He moved to Russia hoping to get a better view of the people and what was happening there. In the process of gathering information for a story he was accused of spying and ended up in jail. 

I have been following Evan’s journey with bated breath. Since I believe that all of the charges against him were faked up by the KGB I doubted that he would be found innocent but I hope against all odds that I was wrong. My worries that there was no way that he might get a fair trial were confirmed last week. I have suspected that his capture and conviction were predicated on the idea that he might be used in a prisoner swap. I see him as a pawn in Vladimir Putin’s unscrupulous world. 

Seeing Evan standing all alone in a class cage swaying back and forth as the verdict and sentencing were read was heartbreaking and reduced me to tears. I have taken a particular interest in Evan because he is about the same age as the young men and women who were the last of my students in the public school where I worked before I retired. Most of them are now enjoying success in their chosen careers and settling into family life with spouses and babies. This is where Evan should be right now. He was engaged at the time of his arrest. He no doubt would now be married and thinking of starting a family. Instead his future is so uncertain. 

My granddaughter attends Bowdoin College. She will be a junior next year. She has so many plans for her future. She wants to attend law school and explore the world. The thought of something like this happening to her or anyone that I know is dreadful. I would beg our politicians here not to use Evan’s situation as a ploy to sway voters. If they know of a way to get Evan released, then please share what needs to happen right now. This is a young man’s life and it should not be trifled with for any reason whatsoever. 

I’ve been watching a multiple episode documentary on the Cold War that traces the path of our difficulties from Russia and what was once the Soviet Union from the very end of World War II when Germany was partitioned between the victorious nations and the Soviet Union took over the eastern sector of that country. I have lived through the fear of nuclear attacks and red scares. I thought I knew most of what had been happening for the decades of my life but I learned so much more than I had ever imagined. The one thing that is certain is that Russia, and in particular Putin, is not our friend. We trust him to our peril. 

I am hopeful that Evan’s stay in a Russian prison will come quickly to a close. I think of him often and wish him well. I understand that he has many friends who keep him supplied with letters and hope. I hear that he even plays long distance chess with his father. I want him to know that I will not forget him. 

I saddens me that the Russian people are still under the thumb of a repressive government run by people who have enriched themselves on the backs of others. Putin is now the richest man in the world because he has taken the country’s treasure and freedoms for himself. Now he is intent on resurrecting the Russian Empire with his first prize being Ukraine, something that I cannot bear to think will ever happen. 

I am united with Evan Gershkovich just as I believe all Americans should be. I am united with Ukraine just as I believe all Americans should be. Let freedom ring for all who are imprisoned under Russia’s thumb. I await Evan’s return to us with bated breath.

The last many years have been incredibly emotional for me. The Covid 19 pandemic took family members of my friends and some of my former students. I mostly isolated with my husband for two years to protect him, my brother and my father-in-law and his wife who all had serious health issues. I was appalled by the cavalier and often ignorant attitude of President Trump who seemed more concerned about impressing his followers than saving lives. I was determined to vote him out of office and happily he did not win the election of 2020. 

President Joe Biden took over a nation in disarray. As soon as he was declared the winner Donald Trump began a campaign of lies hoping to overthrow the election results. On January 6, 2021, Donald Trump encouraged his followers to rally in Washington D.C. where he continued his ridiculous assertions and suggested that Vice President Mike Pence should discount the real electoral votes and give the election to him with fake electors. He incited the anger of the people who had believed his untruths on that day just as he had been doing for months and when they stormed the Capitol threatening Mike Pence and Nancy Pelosi in particular, Trump only sat idly and watched things devolve. Only hours later after the Capitol building was trashed and people had been severely injured and killed did he finally tell his people to go home. 

For the past four years Donald Trump has done little aside from playing golf and continuing to tell lies while he insults good honest people over and over again. During that same time President Joe Biden managed the country with kindness, compassion and an eye for getting us past the pandemic and into the future. Our nation now has its lowest unemployment rate in decades. While other countries are still struggling with runaway inflation ours has slowly but surely continued in a downward trend. Our cities are recording the lowest crime rates in years. An infrastructure program championed by Joe Biden has rebuilt roads, bridges, and drainage systems. He has served as a font of wisdom among our European allies, generously offering aid to Ukraine as they fight to preserve their democracy from an invading Russia. 

The last four years might have felt more peaceful and healing were it not for the constant complaining and lying of Donald Trump, as well as the court rulings that have thwarted efforts to hold him accountable for the many egregious and illegal acts he has performed. Somehow in spite of a mountain of evidence that Trump is unfit to be President of the United States he is now the official nominee of a Republican party that seems intent on bowing to him rather than doing what is right and just for the United States and its people. 

Sadly as the political scene began to heat up this summer the press and even many Democrats pounded more on President Biden’s age and fitness for office than the lies and offenses that define Trump as someone who is not to be trusted. The relentless attacks on Joe Biden, while overlooking Trumps many flaws have resulted in the resignation of President Biden from the race. The irony and ugliness of what has happened is stunning and I for one have spent time sobbing about the way a great man has been treated while a criminal while a weak and banal man has been canonized and lionized. It says something quite disappointing about who we Americans are. 

We live in a nation where there are more guns than people. We are all too easily egged on to fight and bicker and destroy reputations without evidence. With great regularity we end up reading about disturbed young men taking out their anger on other people with guns that should not be in our midst. Thus a twenty year old attempted to kill Donald Trump for seemingly no other reason than showing that he could. At the same time the press took down an honest man because he is not as energetic as he once was and he sometimes mixes up names. We have become a cruel place indeed. 

Once again as he has done so many times in his decades long career, Joe Biden has heroically risen to the moment and taken himself out of the race. Perhaps he is too old to continue the job for four more years, but the same can be said of Donald Trump who is seventy eight and prone to the same kind of word salad mix ups as well as falling asleep during trials and speeches at his convention. Perhaps we should rethink the open ended rules of who is eligible for the presidency. We live much longer now than people did when the age requirements became part of the Constitution. What is true for Joe Biden is most likely true for anyone, including Donald Trump. As we age we just don’t have the spring in our steps or the quickness in our minds that we once had. 

I will remember President Joe Biden with great respect and gratitude. For four years he has taken the heat from the MAGAs for all of us in this country. He is a truly good man who loves God, his family and this nation. He is an imperfect man like every human who has walked on this planet but he has always been willing to admit to his limitations rather than falsely boasting. He has always been honest and caring much like a good father would be. I am certain that his historic legacy will place him among the greatest leaders we have ever had. I wish him well in the final days of his presidency and I hope more than anything that he knows how much so many Americans like me love and admire him. 

Now we must turn to a new race for the office of President of the United States with younger people representing the party of the Democrats. I will work to get them elected because I believe with all my heart that the future of our democracy is at stake and only they can save us from the corruption that has infiltrated the once Grand Old Party. Whoever is on the ticket will get my vote in November. I want to keep our country safe for my children and my grandchildren. They represent a much better future than the one that Donald Trump describes.

But enough of that…For today I’m saying goodbye to President Joe Biden’s run for reelection through tears and thankfulness. God bless America and God bless President Joe Biden. Our nation is grateful for all you have done.