Life Entrepreneurs Look at the Bigger Picture When Faced with Loss

This morning Tori asked me when we’re going to move.

She feels devastated about Hillary.  Her middle school voted 67% to elect her in their mock balloting, and only 17% for Trump.  I told her we have had worse Presidents.  She asked, “did George Bush talk about women the way Trump does?”

My response to her:  “in a situation like this, if you want to grow the power of women, start inside yourself.”

My first take on the election results was shock and dismay–to my core.  I really didn’t want to believe it.  I have had other times in my life when I didn’t want to believe something–like the time a financial agent stole my retirement fund, like the time when I realized the man I was living with was actually a racist, bigoted person who wore a facade of generosity and good will.

Those times don’t really equal this, mainly because my shock and dismay is more than personal.  It includes my desire for the well being of humankind and our planet.

So here are other thoughts that surfaced this morning:

  • many people spoke of a “post racism era” after the Obamas won the election, however, as we have seen by the way that this President was blocked at every turn, a racial component was a factor, so clearly, that is not the case
  • we are witnessing the slow, painful death of Patriarchy
    • it is taking longer than we would like
    • it is not just about masculine dominance
    • it is about the blustering, noisy, dragon-like egocentric masculine energy that thrives on fear and blame to keep the status quo
    • women who believe they benefit from that status quo being kept have been lulled into believing that they are protected by it
    • self-actualizing women and people of color threaten that 
    • the world is changing faster than they realize
    • the global economy is a reality, whether they like it or not
    • the need to blame, condemn and vilify those who step up and work from a higher purpose is inherent in human nature
    • true change takes decades, not months or years
  • when the majority of children ages 12 to 14 embrace change, it means in a decade, their voices will be louder than the voices of fear and doubt
  • I refuse to give in to fear and turn around and blame Trump for it.  He is an expression of the fear-based thinking of the people in our country who feel disenfranchised and left out of the political arena.  
  • In some ways, they are right.  
    • But it is not only the Democratic Party that has left them out. 
    • The political system in gridlock is creating a strangling bottleneck for all aspects of growth–our infrastructure needs attention, industries that are no longer dominant need to evolve into something else, the people who hold onto their wealth in order to correct social ills instead of contribute that wealth to ease those ills may be in for a rude awakening.
  • When change is vitally needed, many look for a Savior, someone who will “lead them from the wilderness.”  
    • This is part of the human mythology that has been passed on for centuries.  
    • But as we actually know, anytime someone is seen to be a Savior, he/she is vilified, condemned and feared by those who don’t agree with the “chosen” one.
  • I don’t know what the next four years will look like, but I know they are going to be different from what any of us can even imagine at this point.  And I cannot shake the same belief I have held since my first awareness of being part of the world:
  • I believe in the human potential.  Time and time again we have seen devastating situations turned into something we learn from, grow from and eventually benefit from.  
  • I believe in Tori and her Mosaic generation–they don’t base their values on color, gender, sexual preference or popularity.  
    • They challenge and support each other to be better people.  
    • They pay more attention to what is going on in the world than I did at their age.  
    • They are savvy, courageous, immature yet willing to learn and grow.  
  • These kids are our future, and I don’t think Tori and her friends will ever forget what happened yesterday.  
    • They will question, and demand change.  
    • They won’t sit down and wait for someone to save them.  
    • They will save themselves, and that will save all of us.