I hear the train blowing its whistle as it approaches the crossing near here. I often find myself sitting in my car, waiting for it to pass. I sometimes call it the Great Wall of Madison. The only way past it is to turn around and go back to Madison Boulevard, take it to Hughes road so that you can go over the train on the overpass. Most times the train is gone long before you get there.
The rumbling of the wheels on the tracks tell me that the train is still passing. I am thankful that I don’t need to be on the other side of those tracks.
It is late and I want to go to bed. I also want to write a blog post. I have started no less than five blog posts so far tonight. I am really upset about the political situation but I am resolved not to write about politics on this blog. Hence, I have caught myself on all of those occasions writing something partisan and forcing myself to start over.
I am a rational person. I revel in the scientific knowledge that we have amassed. I am truly awed by the accelerated pace at which we are adding to that knowledge. I fear that this process will be brought to a halt for no rational reason.
I am going to make yet another call for civility and decency among all Americans. We are all citizens of the same country. A country that I was taught values free speech and diversity of ideas. The way to nurture that freedom is to respect everyone’s right to respectfully speak their mind. Mutual respect is the least that we owe each other.
This doctrine of slinging mud during an administration rather than during a campaign has taken an unacceptable practice and brought it into a place where it no longer even makes sense.
I will not take this further. I have neither the energy nor the time to start writing another blog post from scratch. Let’s treat each other with the respect due any human being and stop the reign of hate. There will be plenty of time to debate the politically heated issues. If we can do it with mutual respect, everybody wins.
I hope to be over my obsession over the appalling behavior that has been exhibited today by tomorrow night. Maybe then I can write something that isn’t tinged with politics.
Sweet dreams, don’t forget to tell the ones you love that you love them, and most important of all, be kind.