Killing It In My Sixties

I have never been a person who talks politics. I’ve never been a person to state my party preference privately or publicly. I don’t even claim a political party; I have been registered as an Independent for as many as years as I can remember. I have always voted for a candidate not a party. There have been Republican politicians that I have liked or at least supported, and there are Democrats that have had my vote – because I liked elements of their character or values.

I hate having to vote for a candidate just to have a vote count against another candidate. I would like to think, as an American, that we are capable of being presented with better options for the leadership of our nation. I will NOT argue my beliefs or preferences with ANYONE. Why? Because I will not change my mind and you will not change yours. We all have the right to our own opinions and preferences – in the spirit of, “Let Them” – I can do that – I don’t need vitriol in my life to stand by my beliefs.

I would like to be free to feel embarrassment about the leader of our country’s behavior, without being called names, or losing friendships. I watched a news conference devolve into a shouting match on National television yesterday, that which can only be described as childish and the epitome of gaslighting. The egos of a couple of individuals took precedence over the death and destruction of people in a country at war.

I no longer want to live in a country where I am afraid of my future and how it may be affected by the quick-trigger tempers of the government leaders and their pettiness. I am not saying that our country was in any better shape with the other party in the White House. What I am saying is – this is not how I want to spend the last third of my life. I have worked since I was fourteen years old and paid into Social Security, believing that all of my contributions would support me when I am no longer young enough to work.

The regular challenges of life are hard enough; stressful jobs, health conditions, children with special needs, extreme weather causing disasters to our homes, mental health decline and dealing with the rising cost of living while resources are diminishing. No matter your age – life is HARD. I want to live my later years in peace, without angry exchanges between people who are not capable of basic human respect.

I have regretfully ended relationships and friendships with people because of politics. I have sat quiet at tables where every fiber of my being wanted to scream, “STOP” – stop the arrogance, the arguing, the chest-pounding and the ridiculing. Please God, please let humanity, compassion and kindness prevail. This bile and hostility is deadly. Deadly to optimism, deadly to harmony, deadly to progress, deadly to human life.

I have been actively exploring a life outside of the USA. I don’t want to leave my family, my friends, my home, my town, my everything that I have known. But I don’t want THIS.