Entering life after WWII, I innocently dealt with relative success, thanks to playing sports all year long. Based on my younger years of fear of marriage, given my experience as a child, I decided at the last moment to turn down my college acceptance and entered the seminary. Finding others more learned than I, studying was a necessity and then, a most satisfying experience that has persisted life long.
Even though I had experienced my father’s biases, I could never understand how he saw other nationalities with such anger. It made no sense. I can recall his watching me play baseball and then telling me his perception of certain players with foreign nationalities. I had learned early in life not to argue with him. It would be hopeless.
When my experiences in the priesthood resulted in my joining others in demonstrating for justice and equality for all, I ultimately experienced all sorts of sessions with diocesan officials, trying to make me more aligned with their thinking. Eventually, it became clear that I could not survive in this environment and decided to leave and go to graduate school. That decision resulted in an unbelievable turn of circumstances. I shared with Joan in March my plans to leave for California in June and told her that I would love her to join me, but I could understand the problems associated with my plans without much savings. Lo, and Behold! She said yes!
Over time, life could not have been better. A wonderful life with Joan, beautiful children and, now, grandchildren.
I became aware with the election of President Reagan that there was a change in emphasis on political policies. But it was not until Gingrich surfaced that I recognized that we were dealing with a different political calculus. Obviously this phenomenon only became more pronounced over time.
I read all sorts of sources of information and watch news from various sources, albeit not from what is considered Right Wing, e.g., Fox News. I get totally depressed with the phenomenon that is prevalent now throughout the world with possibly a few exceptions, including amazingly my mother’s homeland, Ireland. To observe how people perceive others who do not look that same as they is more than disappointing. Whether it is racial discrimination in our country or elsewhere, e.g., Poland, Hungary, China, Japan, it was once disheartening and, has become, despairing. Reading now about France’s issues with Muslims becomes only another nation unwilling to deal with differences. One can understand that perpetuated violence, regardless of its origin, must be addressed. But to extend the behavior of some onto the whole population of a minority is ridiculous.
Surely, I am depressed with the situation. I never cease to express with Joan my sadness at what I reference as gross stupidity. Every one, to me, is like me. Granted our experiences have been different, our level of intelligence varies, and our support systems range from the sublime to the ridiculous, but underneath it all, we are all both saints and sinners. None of us are perfect. Why we cannot see each other as brothers and sisters trying to make the best of life is now tragically becoming just a dream. I have no idea how this situation will develop. At the moment, I could see our nation itself become split with four political parties, Right Wing Republicans, Traditional Republicans, Liberal Democrats and Traditional Democrats. Whether our Constitution survives is open to question. I have hopes in the younger generations, but time is now less open to the infinite. Global warming will place enormous hardship throughout the world within the life times surely of my grandchildren. I am sad to even think this and only hope that my vision is miscalculated.
Life has been so good and, now, I am aware how blessed my experience has been.
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