This, That, and the Other

Maggie, at From Cave Walls, has this Tranquil Thursday prompt in which she selects a topic and welcomes us to post a photo, poem, prose, thought, or memory related to the topic. She chose the word “tranquil” because she thinks a little peace is always welcome.

In this week’s edition, Maggie wants to know…

How have fear, anxiety, and anger played a role in your life and how have you managed those responses?

Maggie wrote, “I do recognize and feel anxiety and fear, especially in the constant onslaught of news around us. So many mental health professionals tell us to turn off the news and control what gets in to our protected circle.”

I can relate to what Maggie wrote and I, too, have cut back significantly on how much news I take in. Frankly, I am happy that I’m an old fart because I know I won’t be around long enough to see the worst of my fears — the collapse of the American democracy — come to fruition. At least I hope not. Unfortunately, given what is happening in this country, I fear that it’s only a matter of time before that happens.

And what causes me a lot of anxiety is that the inmates at the asylum have taken over one of the two major political parties in the U.S. and the leaders of that political party are wannabe fascist dictators who’d just as soon stomp on democracy.

And it angers me that so many on the right seem to be gullible lemmings who are embracing religious and political ideologies of the far-right, including taking away women’s health care and reproductive rights and LBGT rights, white nationalism, Christian nationalism, arming everyone, and taking no action on climate change.

As I mentioned earlier, like Maggie, I have cut back on watching or reading the news. It’s too damn depressing. But at the same time, I can’t put my head completely in the sand and ignore what is happens. I guess cutting back helps a little because my blood pressure rises when I watch, read, or listen to the news, and it helps keep my blood pressure at reasonable levels most of the time.

Still, I fear for the futures of my grandkids. I am anxious about the kind of world they will inherit from us. And I am angry that Republican representatives at the federal, state, and local levels seem to care more about the National Rifle Association and about gun manufacturers than they do about our school age children.

I suppose, to answer Maggie’s question, I haven’t managed my fear, anxiety, and anger very well.