I Saved the World Today

I have been on a break from blogging. Too many personal things that needed attention, followed by nasty sickness that almost ended me up in the hospital with pneumonia. But the drugs are helping my lungs and the rest of the world is back to the normal levels of insanity we love.
Here in the middle of what is known as the "T" in Pennsylvania, we are bracing ourselves for the final crush toward election day. The "T" is the center and across the northern tier of Pennsylvania, considered to be the more "conservative" area- as in expected to vote Republicans into office. Here, in my corner of the world, people actually disagree about who is the more True Republican, True conservative, True man in the image of Reagan..get the picture? Our area is expected to turn out en masse and offset the "liberal cities." As though somehow those of us who live here are a monolith of Republicans who swarm on command. We could I suppose have been the " vast right wing conspiracy" of days gone by. And now we are bracing because we have learned that McCain considers Pennsylvania win-able and a "must win." And we have gotten a few McCain and Palin visits. Probably more to come. I cringe to see what mail or phone calls await in the "Get out the Vote" frenzy. My neighbor has an Obama sign he brings in at night so no one will steal, maim or otherwise wreck it. The TV, radio, internet, and even gaming worlds are slathered with ads, and bold claims. And in the midst of this I look at our country with the financial structure lurching, with resources in ever greater straits, and wonder amidst the soundbites, where is it all headed? I have watched my daughters' college accounts dwindle frighteningly- so much for saving. I see my friends agonizing about jobs, and health care, and the cost of heating.
And yet in the midst of this, I can't help but wonder whether anyone really believes that somehow a change in the Resident at 700 Pennsylvania Avenue is somehow going to miraculously save the day. I guess in the end, the decision is one of who you think will actually try to effectuate dialogue and action, versus someone who will not; and someone whose running mate you would actually be OK with seeing be the commander in chief if something ( God forbid) happened to the President.
And while I find all of the SNL and Jon Stewart bits entertaining there is a sadness that bespeaks something deeper in us that needs a laugh because the truth is too painful.
All of which made me think of the Eurythmics song, " I Saved the World Today" hence the title of the post. Since the embed is disabled, the best I can give is a link.

I Saved the World Today

This is indeed a time in our country where changing landscape for many will call ever more upon us to help those in need, and a time when the message we offer over and against the swirl around us, is needed. And while none of us will "save the world" I think all of us can make little differences, ones we are called to make in the lives of those in our midst. Let us not fall into the trap that things are too big to face.