Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Politically Speaking - Life is Like a Metaphor


So the Inauguration happened, did you know? I'm trying really hard to be supportive and to lose some of my bias. I want to. It's just really hard. Yesterday in wal*mart, a lady got excited talking to her friend and said,"We're taking over!!!" I heard that right after hearing a bunch of people BOO President Bush and sing,"Na na na na! Na na na na! Hey! Hey! Hey, goodbye!" as he left the White House. Tacky. It hurt my heart. As unpopular as it is, I have a strong love for President Bush. We had a Family Home Evening about him last week. We told the kids about integrity and standing up for what you believe even if it's hard and unpopular. We told a story about President Bush stopping at a refueling in Alaska and spending a great amount of time with the family of a fallen soldier. We read some of his personal testimony of Jesus Christ and also his own conviction that he was called to do what he did and that he knew he'd have to make tough decisions. Even before he was elected he made a promise to never move from his morals - no matter how much it hurt his standing with the majority. We ended the evening writing him "Thank You" notes. Camryn's said,"I like how you don't try to be cool, you try to be good" and it was signed "your biggest fan". Ha ha. Sienna's said,"We are sorry you can't be president anymore and hope you can have a good break. Keep in touch!!" I don't know if he will, but, you know, maybe. 

I believe history will be kind to President Bush. We don't have all the facts. What we do know is that he is a man of faith. He prays daily and millions prayed for him. We were kept safe while he was in office. A ruthless dictator was taken out of power saving many lives. A form of democracy was taken to a place that would have never gotten it on its own. Millions of people risk their lives to vote in Iraq. That tells me that there are many grateful people there. Quite a few of my friends have been deployed there and they come back glad we're doing what we are doing. Like I said, we don't have all the facts. What I do know is that a man I believe to be good spent many a sleepless night trying to keep me and my family safe. He worked hard at an impossible job for eight years only to be received with hatred and mocking. Moses freed the children of Israel from the Egyptians and led them around in the wilderness for 40 years. I'm sure he was not very popular most of the time. He was not well-spoken and I'm sure that lead many people to believe he was stupid. He condemned the eat, drink and be merry attitude of his followers and begged them to take responsibility for their own actions. Sounds familiar. 

I'm grateful for President Bush. I hope he can relax and be happy. He deserves a bunch of hugs and a long nap. I hope the Lord blesses him with peace, understanding and the ability to let go of his mantle and be freed from the worry he has carried around for the last eight years.

So on to my metaphor. Always metaphors with me... well, sometimes I'll employ a good simile. This is what I feel about the whole OBAMAMANIA!!!! Wahooooooo! situation we've got going on. I feel like a parent watching my thirteen year-old daughter experience infatuation for the first time. (Have you seen the people crying and passing out if Obama even looks at them? Wow.) And maybe the boy she's sure is the one forever and ever isn't really the boy I would choose for her. "He's DREAMY!!!" she says. She's sure they will get married someday and live happily ever after. I have been infatuated before. I understand those feelings. But those intense feelings either die or change into something more real. Infatuation itself doesn't last. It's thrilling and exhausting. I'm watching my daughter (metaphorically) go crazy for this boy and I know it can turn out one of about three ways: 

First, he may prove me wrong. Maybe he is a great guy. Maybe he treats her well and she's a better person when she's with him. I hope so. I've seen the kids he hangs out with and I've heard some of the things he has said and I don't think that's the case, but maybe? That would be great.

Or, secondly, he might do something horrible and her bubble will burst and she'll come home, throw herself on her bed and cry her eyes out. Boys are fickle. He might change his mind. He may have promised her one thing but have done another. After a mourning period, she'll walk away wiser and hopefully choose better next time. Also not a horrible reality.

The third option is the one I fear. In the heat of the moment, basking in all this infatuation, she could let her guard down and let him have his way with her. She could end up with a disease or pregnant. She might let him ruin her and her chances for future happiness. This is the reason her immense, quick, die-without-you love is so scary to me. She's jaded by the fact that this dreamy guy is in her life and she's not thinking clearly. He pretty much has a green light. I hope he treats her well or she figures him out before it's too late.

So that's it. I'm sorry for those whom I may have offended, I didn't mean to. I just felt a need to get my feelings out. I love America. I'm happy to see everyone feeling positive about the President and the government for a change. I hope everything turns out better than I have a feeling it might. As metaphorical parents, there's no stopping this love. Let's not lose our heads. We just have to hope, pray and try to set a good example for our daughter America. Let's just love her the best we can. It's all we can do.

17 comments:

Chelsea said...

I like you:)...and I loved this post!

MellyKelly said...

Hi. I really don't expect you to post this. I just wanted to say that I've been following your blog for awhile. NOT in a stalker sense. Sometimes you just are the inspiration I need to get my butt in gear and to keep going...Just was finally brave enough to tell you. Hope you don't mind me lurking (Have a few of those myself--mostly scarey family) Thanks again.

MellyKelly said...

I TOTALLY AGREE!!!

stacia said...

you put that perfectly. i want to copy it and make everyone read it so they know how i feel too. love the metaphor, made sense and made me laugh. you really are a great writer. who has time to blog when i can read great ones like yours? seriously though, not much longer and i'll be back at it...oh wait, you've heard that before...

Nancy said...

Of course, I completely agree with you. I am also trying not to be depressed and hoping that Obama is actually a good and wise man and will do the right things when he examines the facts. I am afraid we are dreaming. I would add one thing to your metaphor that complicates things. The daughter's boyfriend has a best friend that only reports to her the good things the boyfriend does. The friend interprets every action in a positive light and covers up every mistake and bad trait. It will take longer and be harder for the daughter to actually see the who this guy actually is. She will trust him much longer than she would if his true intentions and characteristics were open to view. By the time she sees the truth about him on her own, the damage could be done.

Nancy said...

Of course, I completely agree with you. I am also trying not to be depressed and hoping that Obama is actually a good and wise man and will do the right things when he examines the facts. I am afraid we are dreaming. I would add one thing to your metaphor that complicates things. The daughter's boyfriend has a best friend that only reports to her the good things the boyfriend does. The friend interprets every action in a positive light and covers up every mistake and bad trait. It will take longer and be harder for the daughter to actually see the who this guy actually is. She will trust him much longer than she would if his true intentions and characteristics were open to view. By the time she sees the truth about him on her own, the damage could be done.

Unknown said...

Ditto to everything!

Melanie said...

Wow - I'm so glad you had cancer.
I'm glad because it gave you a voice and I love it. You would probably never have had a blog and all your deep thoughts would have stayed deep in that crazy brain and we all would never have known what an amazing writer you are. I agree and I like Nancy's take on the media. All super points.

Anonymous said...

I feel Pres. Monson expressed how we all should be feeling I quote "We send our best wishes to Pres. Obama and pray for the blessings of a loving Father in Heaven to be upon him and his administration." And not a spirit of contention.

-Annette M.

Rod and Kandace said...

I cried watching President and Laura Bush get on the helicopter and fly away. I was sad to see so many people being so unkind to him by holding up that said stuff like, "Arrest President Bush". People booing him when he showed up on their big screen. Give me a break. What good is that going to do. I feel in my heart, the way you expressed. I knew he was praying every day for our country and for guidance. I don't know how many people could continue making the tough decisions with so much hatred coming at him. He must have know there were those of us out there who prayed for him too and were grateful he had the guts to stand up for what he felt was right. I will miss seeing his his shoulders shake when he laughs.
BY THE WAY...I have wanted to write him a thank you note to, but wondered where to send it. Do you have that information.

Amy Cima said...

Hey Shelby,

This is Brock, not Amy. I couldn't agree more with what you have to say in this post. I love President Bush for the same reasons you said that you love President Bush. I hope President Obama makes good choices for our country, but we should always look at his decisions with a critical mind. Like Pres Monson, I hope that he seeks Heavenly Father's blessings, but that doesn't mean that I will not criticize when criticism is warranted. Already, he is moving us toward a more socialist economy, he is putting our safety in peril as he tries to appease the world by closing Guantanamo, and he reversed Bush's ban on sending federal dollars to int'l organizations that provide abortions. So far, not good.

Anonymous said...

There is an unnerving climate in America now where you can't criticize Obama or what he stands for. Yo. HIs flattering words don't have any affect on me. He is not going to solve all our woes and I do fear or rather I am just sitting back to see exactly how these last days will play out. I'm sickened by the fact that one of his first presidential orders was to reverse the ban to prevent our tax dollars to fund abortions throughout the world. That is a great evil in our society. Along with that executive order comes another effort that will basically shut down any medical facility (targeting the christian-run hospitals) that refuse to perform such dasterdly deeds. Also on the line is truly our freedom of speech in the media. Don't be fooled. Of course Pres. Monson isn't going to come out and say what needs to be said because the church will be persecuted even more. There's a much greater work to be done and that is to change the people's hearts...which will then cause real change in America. A nation that turns from God, crumbles from within. That's just a fact. So yeah...as Pres. Monson also says: get out of debt. get your food storage. prepare spiritually...cause the proverbial crap is gonna hit the fan....and Obama is just a pawn in a huge machine that is out to destroy the family, religion and our economic security by leading us to a one-world government. Yeah. I'm praying all right. Praying that good people will still fight the fight.....dang...i'm all fired up now! ;0) let's play some wallyball!!!!!

Tami G. said...

Well said, Shelby and others. All we can do is lend our voices when allowed, and have so much faith that there's no room left for fear. I take comfort knowing that when President Bush stands to be accountable before God, he'll be glad he did everything in his power to protect the family and the sanctity of life - more than President Obama can say already. Obama is earning his reward in the here and now. He has the praise of men and the approval of the media, but I bet some day he'll wish he could trade those for a clean conscience.

Anonymous said...

I am trying to understand so be patiebt with me. You all are upset for what people are saying about Pres. Bush and how wrong he has been treated, but then you are turning around and doing the exact thing to Pres. Obama. I also am disturbed with Obama's decisions thus far and those to come, but their is a way to go about it without being a hypocrite.

Lindsay Dickson said...

Thanks for the great post Shelby. You summed up my feelings perfectly and now have a good FHE idea too!

Nikki said...

Anonymous, the difference is in unfairly maligning the character and disrespecting the office of the President, and disagreeing with the policies. One is childish and unfair, the other is our duty and right as democratic citizens.

Couldn't agree more, Shelby!!!!!!!!
And Thank You so much Pr. Bush for Justices Alito and Roberts!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

It is already far not exception