ThreadingWater

With the glow of last week’s election results still coloring my cheeks, I thought it would be safe to venture into social interaction territory this past weekend.  And, yes, most everyone I ran into was bubbling over with good cheer and relief and general happy-rappiness.

Still, there was one theme repeated by progressive friends with conservative family members and friends that struck me as amusing.  It was the fear meme.

Well-to-do Republicans so utterly aghast at Tuesday’s election results that they had been rendered nearly mute.  Bone chilling, down-to-the-toes shaking fear of what a reign of terror an Obama administration was about to dump on them.  “You can see it in their eyes,” one friend reported, “They are absolutely terrified that their taxes are going to go up.  That they might have to change their children’s college plans.  Even sell one of their houses.”

Huh.

Now, I don’t mean to be completely unsympathetic.  Concern?  Sure.  Moderately alarmed?  Well, ok, I get it.  But, see-it-in-their-eyes fear?  Really??

Guess they weren’t so concerned about threats to our Constitution during the past eight years.  Domestic spying obviously didn’t make them blink an eye.  I figure these same people didn’t have to ship a son or daughter off to Iraq to fight a trumped-up, phony war and maybe come home in a box or end up missing a limb or three.  Nor have they lost sleep at night wondering how they’re going to pay for food, or a doctor visit, or the heating bill.

Nope.  No cause for fear at all, until it’s their own fat pocketbook that maybe takes a ding.

In the spirit of reaching across aisles and healing our national divide, I suggest that anyone who knows someone in this state of debilitating fear take a moment to give them some heartfelt, comforting milk and cookies advice – even throw in a hug – and remind them to take a deep, cleansing breath and stop thinking about themselves for five whole minutes.

“Yes, you can!”