Well, two months since the trek ended - I finally decided it was time to update the blog. If you're expecting some big cathartic wrap-up, you may be disappointed. I think I am supposed to tell you how my life is different and I've completely changed my focus and daily routine and how I'm fasting six days a week, living in a tent, and giving all my money to a charity that breeds genetically-engineered acorns to feed starving albino squirrels in the suburbs of Little America, Antarctica using renewable energy sources, oil-eating microbes, and sustainable farming methods.
I could tell you that. I'd be lying. The squirrels aren't albino.
You know, in the end, my life is probably not that different. But I feel different. I have found motivation to do many of the things I'd been putting off. Like fixing my 874 cars, and fixing up the house, and yes, getting back to writing regularly. I feel more centered, whatever that means. I'm trying to be less cynical about religion. Beyond that, it's more or less life as usual, and that's OK.
So, this blog, "Mainly On The Plain", is going to metemorep....metamorphai...meteropme...change. I'm still going to post, but it won't be as often, and who knows what it will be about. I will probably try to stay away from partisan politics, but not necessarily my thoughts on how government should work, not get into religious debate, though I won't shy away from matters of morality and faith, and you'll probably hear a lot about cars. In other words, I'm going to try and be as real with you through this part of my journey as I was on my journey through Spain. If you're not up for any of that, take this as your cue to unsubscribe and un-bookmark now.
I bought a new car this week (by the way, it passed smog just fine, Roger). I know that's a shocker to the majority of the Western world. See, I have this list. It's kind of a bucket list. But, where most folks have things on their bucket list they'd like to experience, mine is all cars I'd like to own. You know, like a Porsche 911 (though I probably never will because I don't want to be one of those guys), a freaking huge Cadillac convertible, a diesel anything (well, almost anything. Mercedes 240D's need not apply. I just cannot handle a 59 horsepower car), and...a Mini Cooper S, among other cars. It is a rather long list.
So I bought my Cooper S, from a friend here locally. It is a blast. But sometimes, it's just a little too cute. I almost get the feeling I get when I have to go to Tuesday Morning, Party World, Hobby Lobby or any place that involves potpourri. I have to inspect the man card to make sure it's still there. And you know what it is about the Mini Cooper that makes me feel that way? No, it's not too small. No, it's not too retro. It's supercharged, so plenty of power. My friend upgraded suspension, exhaust, and did some other really cool things.
It's the turn signal and windshield wiper stalks. They look like Easter Eggs. They even have little yellow and red bulbs on the end to let you know when the car alarm is on or you're low on wiper fluid. They're cute. And if there's one thing I struggle with in a car, it's cute. I may have to spend some time cruising the BMW parts catalog to see if I can retrofit something a little more standard from the BMW parts bin. I am not hopeful.
But, boy, is that supercharger cool when it's wound out. That almost makes up for the Easter eggs. Hard boils them, even, if you'll forgive the pun.
Something else on my mind: Where has all the kindness gone? Have you noticed? Is it something in the water, the air, our food? Is it just me, or have we, collectively, as a nation run out of kindness? Let me elaborate...
Last week, I got an unexpected email from someone who explained that they were rather hurt at some of our recent interactions. I will admit that I was rather at a loss for how to respond, so I did my best to repudiate this persons assertions. Things continued to pretty much go south over the next few days until I found myself thinking, "This is ridiculous. We are two grown people. We should be able to sort things out." And so I went over to this persons house, and sort it out we did.
As I reflected on that unfortunate series of events, I couldn't help but wonder how we ended up there. And then it hit me - we, nationally, seem to have lost our ability to be kind and empathize.
For whatever reason, I've been asked a lot recently what I think of the President. I guess folks have decided I must have some sort of political insight. I don't. And frankly, I'm more irritated at Congress than I am the President. Our leaders seem incapable of putting aside their own self-interests or their own perceived moral high grounds to do the job their constituents hired them for - to make the country a better place for future generations. I think this is because they have lost the ability, or desire, or both, to empathize. They don't WANT to understand the other point of view. I am afraid we are doomed to wallow in the doldrums of mediocrity and stagnation until we become less polarized politically.
And I think we can take a lesson from that personally. If we expect our government to behave a certain way, shouldn't we model it? Maybe we'll find that things are not so bad if we remember to be kind and extend grace rather than having to be right all the time? Of course, it's real easy for me to sit in my armchair and expound on this - from the incident above, can you tell I've been having trouble living it? Now, multiply that by, oh 300 million, and perhaps we now have a better sense of where our country is. And how to make it better.
