Knowing When to Say When

I've had a number of different blog post ideas cross my mind this past week or so, on various subjects related to the Trumpocalypse. Russian interference, racism, authoritarianism, white privilege, deception, inequality... the list goes on and on, to the point where you get tired just thinking about it. Even this post, where I'm telling you about how crazy and unsettle I've felt trying to write about these times, has gone through multiple versions. But it all comes back to something I realized while hiking last Saturday. I've realized it before, but it seems I need regular reminders.



I was hiking back up Sisar Canyon and the Red Reef Trail, toward Topatopa Bluff. It was the same hike I'd done two weeks earlier, but it had been cloudy on my first trip and I hadn't been able to see the face of the bluff at all. This time, the bluff was in full view - and what a view it was - but the hot sun really wore me out. After five miles of climbing the six-mile trail out of the canyon, I decided to turn back. A survey of the landscape told me I was already getting my best look at the bluff. There was no sense giving myself heat exhaustion when I'd already accomplished what I set out to do.

And that's the lesson. Set goals you can accomplish and keep them in mind. Be aware of your limits and know when to say when.

The Trumpocalypse is just too darn big. The people who want to Make America Great Again are far too entrenched. The passions that drive them aren't rational. They're rooted in anger and hatred and frustration and, worst of all, fear. Facts and reason won't get the job done. Frankly, I'm not sure what will. In my more pessimistic moods, I think it's going to take some kind of catastrophe, the likes of which we haven't seen in a very long time.

So what am I saying? That we should just give up? Certainly not. But we need to recognize that the problem is way too big for any one of us to handle. The solution isn't going to come from one sweeping huge victory. It's going to come from lots and lots of small victories, adding up over a long stretch of time. It's like the proposals that have been made for what to do when an asteroid is found that's going to hit the Earth. Blowing it up with a big nuclear explosion, like in Armageddon, is not the answer. Instead, engineers have proposed flying a spacecraft next to the asteroid, using gravity to change its orbit a little bit at a time, for years or even decades if possible. Big explosions can make things worse. Small changes can add up.



There's another thing to consider, too. Remember back in April? I quoted a Palm Sunday sermon that said, "It's not that we care that there is an empire. It's that we care that we are not the empire... Jesus exposes that the very aspiration to be empire is evil." Ending the Trumpocalypse in one fell swoop brings the risk of just setting up another demagogue in its place. Bringing that about means jeopardizing our own spiritual well-being. Look at what's happened to the white Evangelical church. They've sold their souls for power, and handed the country over to American plutocrats and Russian mobsters (who, let's face it, have more in common with each other than with any of us). They stand for none of their values anymore, and are seen around the world as bullies and hypocrites. They have their power, yes, but they no longer have themselves. I don't know about you, but I don't want to follow their example.

So don't be discouraged if you feel like you're up against too much. You don't have to do it alone. You don't have to do it immediately. Stay focused on what you can do with your little corner of the Trumpocalypse, ways that you can help the people around you with whatever they're facing. Small changes and small victories add up. If we all do our part, we'll get there together.

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