The Space In between-Personal or Political, Same Thing

It's interesting watching the state and now the country squirm with the unresolved struggle in Wisconsin between two vastly different realms of thought; ways of doing and being.  It's our nation's macro debate on a smaller scale.  And it's ugly.  We've forgotten how to just talk to each other.  America is its own worst enemy.  Frankly, I find it embarrassing and frightening.  Yes, to citizen action, but shame on the conditions around our crisis.

The issues and what's at stake are out there now, not sure we have to keep beating our points home.  What's not being talked about is the emotional toll and the scars this will leave on people; neighbors no longer quick to shout out hello across the street; family members not talking about politics (it's too uncomfortable-might cause a rift).  Well, I got news for ya, there's a rift alright.

I'm in the space in between.  In between caring and full on retreat.  In my bathroom this morning, I noticed the hair forming a light dusting on the sink and floor.  My rolling eyes trailed over to the mop in the pantry and my brain quickly dismissed any thoughts of cleanliness.  Who cares?  Of course, it is February in Wisconsin and I am sick and operating at 1/3 of my usual powers with a sick child and partner to boot.  We are all in between sickness and health, power and powerlessness, peace and all out war.  It's a dangerous place of fatigue and apathy.

Our squiminess with this limbo comes from not being used to anything less than instant gratification, a quick techno fix, a cookie cutter formula, medication?  None of the above will heal this wound.  This takes some old fashioned sweat and blisters; communication, cooperation, dare I say it, if not love then a place of baseline respect.   Until then, we need to learn to be comfortable with the uncomfortable.  I would even go so far to say, we need this experience to grow as a culture (or perhaps just grow up).  With "leaders" who provide little leadership in this arena-we wait in all its sticky, slimy social goop.  And when the dust settles in my bathroom and in Wisconsin around this immediate crisis, will there be substantive, ongoing debate?  Will there be a conversation that is fluid and open?  Are we going to demand it or not?  We're talking about nation (state) building and there's no business plan you can graft onto that.  This requires a kind of artful, creativity that I don't think exists in the political realm now.  Nobody that I can see has the "right stuff."

Sometimes we have to tear the whole thing down and start over when the mistakes have made the structure unsound.  Personally or politically, there comes a time in life for deep and dramatic action.  We're here.