POTENTIAL STORIES...AND SEEKING THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

A series of essays....

"THIS LEAVES POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT
UP TO MY IMAGINATION."

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

I cannot remember when a story failed to light-up my life or put a smile on my face. We love a good story. We know we’re not alone as long as others have stories to tell and we are able to listen to or read them...and, maybe, just maybe, share some of our own. 

With this in mind, I sit here, bird-like, my neck curving downwards, my eyes concentrating on the seven by five inch lined notebook where I’ve been writing down, capturing, if you will, the many words floating in the air around me. If I concentrate hard enough, it’s easier to define a single conversation and write down its key words before methodically moving on to the next.

Even as my hands move steadily along, swirling the fluid blue ink upon paper, my eyes attempt to avoid the figure reflected in the large mirror in front of me. The person looking back is a clear caricature of myself; a clownish character lost within the vanity of aging and the distant memories of youth. Sneaking a peek at Anna’s ‘handiwork in progress,’ I giggle out loud and wonder if a bright red nose would complete the picture reflected in the gilded mirror, hair slathered in white foam, red glasses sliding down the nose. At this, I contort my neck back into writing mode....and, resume my research.  

Even though I’m here for the luxury of covering-up the grays, my hair salon provides me with tiny nuggets offered by the unique and interesting lives of others. I know no one by name, other than Anna, my hairstylist, and don’t consider my notes as stealing from the women and several men from whom I take these potential story ideas from. By the way, I do the same in airports, restaurants, and just about every public place I visit. Often emotions are raw, not subjected to adjustment or analysis, pure unprocessed ideas in their natural state. This allows any promising sugarcoating to be  left up to my own imagination.

“My husband and I are taking our first trip to Europe in September....”

“You must have the longest hair in your class, Sweetheart....”

“Thank you. So far I’ve lost thirty pounds. I still have around fifteen to go.”

“Our grill broke and we used the Crockpot out on the patio over the weekend.”

“She flies in next Tuesday. We haven’t seen her for over two years!”

“We had to cancel the movers and reschedule for two weeks later.”

“She’s had a tough time with treatment. Damn cancer!!!”

Unfortunately, the last tidbit has become all too familiar and sad for most of us these days with far too many loved ones, friends, and acquaintances suffering as we offer them our love, hugs, and all of the support we can muster.

Today, my favorite conversation was all about a new client being ushered back to her stylist’s little cubicle to perch upon her own throne of faux leather. When asked what she’d like done today, the client replied, “Make me look sassy! I want to feel good about myself!” And, that pretty much summed-up the morning for me. Our hair is our crowning glory. There’s much to be said for having good hair days that, in turn, equal good days in general. 

I never really know what the fate of each tiny slice of life is. They just continue to live and multiply in my tiny notebook, lovingly labeled by date and location. Often, they are outside of my control. They all have the potential of holding their own and being reborn as a short story, blog material, or a sliver of a fiction novel...present and future. They captivate the imagination because they are real words spoken by real people living out their days by communicating with the people around them. What could be better and more natural than this?

Anna has considered my ‘baking time’ complete and, gently, shampoos, cuts, and styles my, for the most part, gray-less crowning glory! I will say, I do feel a bit younger now than I did an hour or so beforehand. Is it a miracle? We can call it a miracle, hocus-pocus, built-in self confidence, but I call my morning a lesson in joyful possibilities, learning to focus, and food for the heart and soul.

“So, how do you feel? Do you like it?” Anna asks. 

“I’m feeling sassy this morning, Anna. Sassy and ready to greet the world!” I reply with a smile.

Copyright © 2019 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL DISBELIEVERS AND NAYSAYERS

A series of essays....

ACKNOWLEDGING THE CIRCLE OF THOUGHT

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

Dear Sir/Madam,

An open letter to all disbelievers and naysayers

I believe that if we communicate, we will, ultimately, learn how to compromise. If we know how to compromise, we will be able to encourage a settlement of differences by combining the knowledge of both parties involved and make concessions which would grant each party the acknowledgment and recognition that may lead to acceptance. Accepting the fact that we can and are able to work with one another leads everyone to a base of trust, faith, and confidence that can and will open-up all lines of communication.

Accepting this circle of thought should afford everyone the understanding that we are created of equal importance with a fundamental goal of achieving respect for one another.

Having been born with the unique ability to love in the deepest sense, respecting one another should be analogous to loving and respecting oneself in a most pure, simple, and base manner. Consequently, the passing of time with influences such as family, social and religious persuasion, peer pressure, body image, bullying, or sexual orientation can alter the natural progression of loving the person we were born to be. If so, the image we see within ourselves helps to skew the image we have of others and we, in time, will forfeit our ability to reason intelligently thus distorting our original beliefs in a way that is regarded as inaccurate, unfair, or misleading.

Systematically, fear, self-doubt, and diffidence, overpowers our innocent ideals and wrongly forces us into the belief that all is lost; life is hopeless. This is when we become the most vulnerable. 

How do we compensate for or correct this imbalance created by outside sources that influence our core values?  This is where the disbelievers and naysayers go wrong; they form their opinions based on theories, the attitudes of others, and negativity instead of going back to their roots where love, respect for others, and hope originated from. Learning, once again, how to communicate with our words filled with positive intentions and purpose, as well as being able to listen to the words of others, comprehend their meaning while moving forward, would be a good beginning. 

Good communicators and good listeners are the advanced team that guides us towards  compromise, acceptance, trust in one another, faith in the future, and the hope that we can all work together to form the alliances needed to realize a bright and prosperous tomorrow! 

In accepting this circle of thought, we are affirming the kindness we hold deep inside of us and we see the same as we look at those around us. My eight-year-old grandson recently asked me, “If we all come from the same place, grandma, aren’t we all related to one another?” Such a  profound nugget of truth from one so young. But then...expressing profound truth in simple language form as formulated by a child’s perspective is exactly how the circle of thought began; innocent and pure.

Respectfully,

Those with the intent on making a difference.

Copyright © 2019 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

MY PERSONAL OBJECTIVITY AND CATCHY TITLES: HUMAN PERSPECTIVE FROM AN EX-JOURNALISM MAJOR

 A series of essays....

IT CAN BE ABOUT MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES, BUT IT'S,
ALSO, ABOUT LEARNING AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT
ALL OF THE CHOICES WE HAVE TO CHOOSE FROM.

....as seen through my eyes!

 

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

Knowledge, sarcasm, gut reactions, shock and disbelief, and daily revelations have all contributed to this piece. We must never become complacent when it comes to human dignity and embracing basic rights for all. This twisted administration has ignored these rights all for the sake of personal finance and destroying the kindness established by Barack Obama and his previous administration. Sadly, this person now occupying our White House will do ANYTHING to gain total control of this country including ignoring the hardships of hundred of thousands of innocent people in one form or another, often creating the negative scenarios within his own demented imagination!

It is difficult for any loving and caring human being to ignore what is happening around them. The swamp in Washington D.C. is consuming the world with its hate and greed as if the nine circles of Hell, described in Dante’s Inferno, were coming to life before our very eyes!

If you remain oblivious to his hatred, greed, and treachery and you ignore the children locked in cages, molested and dying due to lack of proper nutrition, medical care, and hygiene, than you are one of the callous people who will surely vote once again for this vile, heartless man. I pity you on so many levels...! 

Here are a few of my catchy titles for you to ponder:

I don’t know what I was expecting but, I wasn’t expecting so little.

After a lifetime, the truth of the matter is...we are only as good as our leadership.

Kevin McCarthy says, “This is about Socialism vs. Freedom.” (Is it really, Republicans?)

Alter the American identity: Empowering the creepy crawlers after they’ve emerged from under their rocks.

He smelled blood in the water and knew the vulnerability of the Republican Party and took full advantage of the situation.

Eric Garner, “I can’t breathe” case, will not receive justice as per our Justice Department and Bill Barr, the Attorney General of the United States!

THE SELLING-OFF OF THE
UNITED STATES

Tax Reform Bill passed in December of 2017 was all about having the balls to reduce taxes for the rich knowing its detrimental effect on the well-being of the middle class and the poor.

If life is a ‘box of chocolates,’ let us fully learn what each shape, symbol, and chocolate curly-cue stands for so that we make the right choices.

Joe Biden: “This is not a third term of Obama.”

Oh, Joe...could you compromise and help heal our country by being an advisor to the Democratic winner of the 2020 Election?

WAITING FOR YOU, MR. PRESIDENT!

President: If you don’t agree with what I say and do, you can get out of this country. (As you can, sir, and don’t let the Statue of Liberty kick you in the ass on your way out!)

United Front: “This country belongs to everyone!”

Racist rantings go awry: United States president spends the rest of his life sequestered within his 'Golden Tower' in New York City.

Musical statement from the movie, Cabaret, sets precedent for this administration: “Money makes the world go round...the world go round.”

Tax cuts for the rich extends privilege and greed: Another way of exploiting the inadequacies of Reagan’s trickle-down economic theory.

INHUMANE IN EVERY SENSE

Locking children in cages and separating them from parents, family, creates new business opportunities for adoption agencies in Florida.

The newly elected Democratic president in 2020 will have to spend the initial portion of their first term cleaning out the existing swamp that was created by the present administration!

Outspoken Democrats, the media, and good people in general regret saying, “Let’s give him a chance,” back in January of 2017.

Hillary Clinton points out exactly what we have to look forward to if Trump becomes president: Disbelievers, haters, and old white men and women vote for him anyway.

The ‘Glass Ceiling’ has yet to be broken: The election in 2020 offers us extreme hope in making this happen very soon.

WILL BE REMOVED
WHEN THIS IS ALL OVER!

“Women Can Stop Trump” is becoming a reality via strong female figures such as Nancy Pelosi, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Rashida Tlaib.

Black man, Barack Obama, elected the 44th President of the United States, thus proving to everyone that all men are created equal: Trump spends the next four years attempting to disprove this concept.

With the advent of the reincarnated television game show, Alex Trebek regrets not being able to reprise his role as host of To Tell the Truth: The producers have renamed it, Lies, Lies, and more Lies thus keeping a hosting job available for the ex-president.

It is beyond belief and comprehension that such a deranged person in the White House condones the hardship (even the death) of others to further his cause, the denial of our right to collect the money we worked long and hard for via Social Security, the opportunity to provide health care to everyone, the denial of human rights and benefits due to a national disaster (Puerto Rico) because they are people of color and they do not have the honor of voting in our presidential elections, the piece by piece selling-off of our country, scientific climate denial, all for the sake of lining his own pockets and those for whom he feels an affinity towards. It feels as though it is his job to cause us harm and displacement. 

Nothing, absolutely nothing, will stop him from chewing up and spitting out anyone or anything that stands in his way of being elected once again in 2020. Ignoring the emoluments clause immediately after taking office by lying about his personal income (foreign and domestic) derived from his newly opened hotel located in Washington D.C. should have sparked grave concerns right from the beginning of his term. Yet, with red lights flashing, nothing became of it. This led to more lies and deceit, open friendships with foreign dictators, and the unleashed power of a want-to-be dictator living on Pennsylvania Avenue.

His blatant and unharnessed atrocities haunt most of us every single day. It is difficult to predict the actual outcome of all of this...only time will tell. We must keep hope alive and believe in good over evil, as well as our own strengths and those of others who believe. With this said, sadly, I leave you with one final catchy title: 

What’s at stake here is our dignity, our integrity, and....our very souls.

Copyright © 2019 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

RESILIENCE

A series of essays....

EVEN IN A LANDSCAPE OF BEDROCK AND ITS VAST CRACKED PAVEMENT
OF GLACIAL-ERA LIMESTONE, THERE IS HOPE OF A THRIVING LIFE!!!
                                                            .....THE BURREN IN COUNTY CLARE, IRELAND

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

RESILIENCE...

...is a word that applies to everyone these days, especially when used in a practical sense regarding the act of survival. It is this positive self-concept and application of self-confidence in our own strengths and abilities that can often help to answer the question of “Who Am I?” and lead us down the path of sorting things out and, ultimately, keeping us on the right track towards healing ourselves from the inside out; snapping back into our original shape after being stretched, pulled, bent, or compressed by the weight of adversity and depression. This resiliency is shown by many who have lost a home by wildfire, flooding, or the means to pay the mortgage and, amazingly, weathered the adversity with a buoyancy spawned by self-worth and determination, time and assiduous reserves of confidence only to survive and live another day. 

Our challenge today is inside each one of us. Being vulnerable reveals our human nature and demonstrates our susceptibility to being emotionally wounded or hurt. Harmful vulnerability can be challenged by our personal resilience to such harm and the knowledge that our fears are conquerable if we believe them to be. Not surprisingly, this quality of being flexible is not something we are born with. And, this is where our challenge starts as we begin to see positive emotions walking hand-in-hand with resilience. Humor, optimism, and setting forth goals in order to cope with negativity are powers we can learn to utilize in order to control stress and access the power we require to survive. From birth moving forward we clench our teeth when faced with something unpleasant and must learn courage and resolve in order to strengthen our character. 

It is difficult to survive without the trust and positive examples placed before us through family and friends. Early relationships that provide care and support help us develop a positive self-image and teach us to manage strong feelings before they get out-of-hand. Ego control and self-esteem help to discourage self inflicted harm (suicide) through the power of knowing how to take care of our mind and body, feeling good about ourselves, exercising body and soul, and paying attention to our own needs and feelings. If we respect the positive influences that surround us and learn to be resilient when it comes to all of the negative influences (mistreated children, loss of employment, and alcohol abuse, for example), we can learn to cope with the disasters and hardships that infiltrate our lives and come naturally to all human beings throughout their lifetime.

When we become aware that by promoting resilience it allows us to recover readily from adversity, illness, depression, and remain flexible each time while enabling us to return to our original form, unharmed and much stronger...we will then become released from a personal bondage that only serves to stifle our comfort and growth. Believing that you can rather than you cannot and encouraging others towards this train of thought boosts morale and organizes a support group capable of strengthening our coping mechanisms. 

We must remember that knowledge is power. Our goal should be to become more resilient, promote resiliency, and harness the power of resilience in order to adapt to our ‘roller coaster’ whirlwind ride called life. We must teach a child to be resilient from the beginning of their life, to go with the flow, to interact with their environment, adapt to change, and meet their lifetime goals head on. A world filled with less bullying and more caring would be a kinder, more loving place to live in. To learn to be resilient towards the bullying would help us adapt and survive life's negativity. 

Author’s Note: This essay was inspired by an article entitled, Put down the self-help books. Resilience is not a DIY endeavour, written by Michael Ungar, contributed to The Glove and Mail, and published on May 25, 2019.

Copyright © 2019 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

HOMECOMINGS, INDEPENDENCE, AND CHRISTMAS IN JULY!

A series of essays....

RED

WHITE

BLUE

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

As the years go by, it’s easy to see how the Fourth of July, Independence Day, has leveled the playing field when it comes to sharing Christmas as one of the most family oriented holidays of the year!

As children growing up in the Midwest, we anticipated eating hot dogs and hamburgers cooked on the grill and accompanied by Mom’s homemade potato salad, playing hide-and-go-seek with all of our cousins, and waiting until it was dark enough to enjoy the fireworks display at Potawatomi Park before coming back home to light sparklers in the driveway and air-draw our names into the pitch black darkness of night before crawling, gratefully, into bed. 

Life, summertime, was much simpler back then. Families, generally, lived close enough to one another that within a half an hour’s drive the backyard grill would be hot and ready for whatever meat selection was provided, kids were clustered on porches playing board games, and adults were gearing up for raucous sessions of Euchre (a trick-taking card game) at the kitchen table. The men secured sweating, long-necked bottles of local beer from a cooler while the woman, usually, sipped iced tea or homemade lemonade with plenty of ice.

Family and friends were able to get together so often because all they needed was right at their fingertips all summer long....the easily acquired company of others, a little bit of planning, and the ability and desire to have a good time while together. 

Getting together at a moment’s notice can be a bit more complicated for many of us today. Even though the desire to spend time with family has not, necessarily, diminished, family dynamics, the force that stimulates change or progress within a system, has impacted most of us in one way or another. The world has become smaller with job opportunities offered on a global scale and travel made more available and, for the most part, more affordable than it has in past generations, family cells have divided and spread across the map with long distance and international living considered the norm instead of the exception. 

Sitting here, I’m thinking about all of our friends who have children scattered all over the United States and the world. They are living, working, examples of how families have spread their wings and ventured out far away from the family units I remember from my youth. 

What we learn through all of this is just how adaptable humans can be. Solutions to family closeness aren't always ideal as we often define ourselves as living in a Jetsons world of talking screens and preprogrammed meal selections. During the past several years we lived in Florida and away from the grandchildren, I was known as ‘tiny grandma’ since most of our interaction was done via Skype and, eventually, FaceTime. 

What a longer distance apart has created are more elaborate and exciting homecomings with relatives flying in from other states and countries to be together for the long, holiday weekend or, if fortunate enough, an extended week or two. A homecoming generally attributed to the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, but because of its warmer, kinder weather, July frequently serves as a prime time for traveling and sharing time and space with those we miss and love throughout the year. 

After all, Independence Day is the birthday of the greatest country in the history of mankind! And, nothing or no one can or will demean our greatness via their own narcissistic behavior. The Stars and Stripes symbolize our freedom and not a dictatorship built on personal greed. Our military might is well known and respected and should not be paraded down the streets of Washington D.C. like cheap costume jewelry. We are so much better than this.

But, I digress.

Many anticipated family traditions have originated due to the small windows of togetherness that the modern-day family units have to look forward to. Some of my friends opt to take the yearly ‘family portrait’ in July while everyone is together. Occasionally, families will choose to rent a large home in a central location for everyone to meet at and enjoy being together with over the 4th of July. And, if travel is an impossibility for many of us during any particular holiday, we have invited others of all ages and backgrounds over to our home for good conversation, family reminiscing, and delicious food to help ease the space between visits with their own relatives. 

With the 4th of July inching its way onto the important list of travel expectations for many families every year, it’s easy to see why it is becoming more and more significant in terms of bringing relatives and good friends together. Independence Day is bursting with sparkling colors and ideas that serve to keep the heart young, meaningful traditions germinating, and many of us well fed and provided for right in the celebratory hub of summer activities. Its importance is catching on by leaps and bounds and is truly becoming our Christmas in July!

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, and joyful 4th of July and a momentous Happy Birthday to the great country we live in!!

Copyright © 2019 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

THE END OF CONVERSATION AS WE KNEW IT....?

A series of essays....

SADLY, THE NEW ERA OF PERSONAL COMMUNICATION

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

I know. If you have been an avid reader of mine, you might believe that I harp on this topic more often than I should. But, if I were asked what my biggest pet peeve was....my answer would be encapsulated within the picture above. 

Every now and then I like to go back through some of my pictures with the understanding of why they had been taken in the first place and then write a story about it. This particular picture sent out alarm bells and bright red, flashing lights back when taken, and still does for me today!

May I suggest you zoom in on these four individuals and then, kindly, continue reading.

We are looking at a mother and daughter sitting side-by-side on the left and a middle-aged, married couple, allowing a bit more space between one another, to the right. Each set of participants appears to be waiting for something to happen. Something more exciting than what I am witnessing while seated across the room from them. 

The scene above was taken on June 6, 2014, in the entrance to the chain restaurant TGI Fridays, but could apply to so many instances today. As most of us have observed, this scenario has become more typical everywhere you look, especially as technology becomes notably embraced by everyone!

Dan and I had recently begun the demolition required in our outdated kitchen while living at 1648 Morgan’s Mill Circle in Florida and, with life inundated by chaos and hunger, we decided to go out for a burger on a Saturday afternoon. Any given Saturday in Orlando can be jam-packed with humans resembling worker ants attempting to complete their complicated tasks such as foraging and taking care of the youth. We desperately needed a respite from rehab and an opportunity to fill our tummies.

People watching and communicating with others are two of my favorite pastimes. Considering we had to wait a short while to be seated, we utilized our downtime to unwind, exchange stories about our children and grandchildren up in Michigan, and strategize about how best to use our time productively the rest of the weekend. Together, we had experienced the ‘weekend warrior’ routine two years earlier while remodeling our Master Bath/Closet and knew how important following a good plan would be.

The foyer of this particular TGI Fridays restaurant was comparatively small, just big enough to allow several people to sit comfortably and escape a summer shower, if need be. The six of us occupying this enclosed anteroom were handed a small, black, plastic square per couple and told it would light-up as the next table became available. 

The six of us occupying the hollowed space created an unusual sense of quietness after several minutes when Dan and I curbed our own conversation after realizing our softened voices echoed back and forth across the tiny room. As we sat comparing notes in whispered tones on our side of the space, it was apparent that absolute silence prevailed on the opposite side.

What was each person accomplishing while caught-up in their own little world? 

Were they texting friends, checking their messages, deleting unnecessary emails, or determining the score of one of many sporting events happening that particular afternoon? 

With quiet keyboards, there wasn’t even the sound of ‘clicking’ to stir-up the atmosphere. We were witnessing the complete lack of enjoyment of verbal interaction with one another. Exchanging human contact via words and smiles was substituted with cyber interfacing instead. With minds compartmentalized by their own devices, mother and daughter, husband and wife sat silently while deep within their own private worlds....for a very long time.

Slowly sliding my own iPhone from the small, inside pocket of my purse, I decided I needed to capture the moment. My cautiousness stemmed from the fear of disturbing one of them or embarrassing myself by being so blatant about taking their picture. I needn’t have worried; my precautionary intent towards their privacy was totally lost on all four of them! Not an eye blinked (not that I could even see their eyes) or an eyebrow raised during the making of this photo.

I began picking-up on the specific body language of each of my subjects. Each face lacked expression, the lips were straight and pressed tightly together, and all eyes were downcast and seemingly closed. The old adage that if you cross your arms over your chest it symbolizes that you are silently protecting yourself from negative vibes or words tossed at you by others. It most definitely applied here. Something was surely ‘crossed’ on each one of them....with mother and daughter sporting the more painful leg-over-leg position while my Billy Joel lookalike and his wife, a bit more cautious, with only their ankles being modestly crossed.

Suddenly, buzzing waves of sound vibrated from across the room and bright red lights began to pierce the moment sending their glow up the back of the cool, black Naugahyde bench. Billy Joel and his wife were being summoned, not by a human voice, but by the small, plastic square device equipped with its red running lights. Like robots programmed to respond (Pavlov would have enjoyed this exchange) the couple entered the restaurant to be seated. I could only hope that their Internet reception proved even better once inside. If not, who knows, an actual conversation might have to be exchanged between them while eating lunch!

Not surprisingly, my mother/daughter team failed to even look up when married couple exited the same bench. I don’t know what happened next with them because Dan and I were being summoned by our own flashing red lights.

Progress is usually and hopefully a good thing as its definition suggests. It implies moving forward through development, growth, and improvement. When progress impedes eye-to-eye contact and the enjoyment of personal relationships and communication between human beings, I believe we are moving in the opposite direction of progress...and that is, most definitely, backwards.

Copyright © 2019 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

I DON'T KNOW IF....

A series of essays....

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

I don’t know if I have the energy anymore, both physically and mentally, to wake-up smiling. I feel like a person taking too many drugs and having them interact in a very negative way with my body. I know a little bit about this. My father took what seemed like fifty pills a day, all prescribed by his doctors. It wore him down so much that I often wonder if the drug interaction was more harmful than the physical ailments he was taking them for. Most likely, they were.

I don’t know if 45 is reaching his goal of wearing down our defenses by creating, not only a world of MAGA zombies, but a population of good people who tried but failed at making him go away. I do know that everyday he remains in office, our less than perfect society becomes even less perfect and we find ourselves digging out of an ever deepening hole.

***AS OF ONE O'CLOCK P.M. ON MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2019***

I don’t know if I can tolerate another 582 days under 45’s spitefully jealous and sadistic regime.

I don’t know if survival is even an option anymore.

I don’t know if the world, as we thought we knew it to be, will ever be that way again. When I think of the Holocaust, the mass murder of Jews under the German Nazi regime during the period between 1941 and 1945 when more than 6 million European Jews, as well as members of other persecuted groups, were murdered at concentration camps such as Auschwitz, I think of change. I think of the survivors who were changed forever and their children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren and how they must always claim the horror, terror, and nightmares associated with such a burning and cleansing of the European population of Jews and their supporters; lest we ever forget the blistering inhumanity and narcissism of even one individual right here in our own lifetime.

I don’t know if the Jews can ever truly forgive the United States for not offering them the mental and physical relief of sanctuary while so many of them were being put to death. The U.S. had a long-standing restrictionist policy on immigration specified in The Immigration Act of 1924. It set the standards for immigration quotas to the U.S. that limited total immigration to about 164,000 people per year and was designed to “protect” America from “undesirables” including Jews, Asians, and Africans. This excuse is Not Good Enough...! This could never happen again in the new millennium ~ not in 2019! Certainly, we’ve become wiser, more understanding, and loving people by now! Didn’t the Hitler/Nazi regime teach us anything?

I don't know if giving-up on our freedom and all of the basic principals that this great nation was initially built upon is even an option. 

I don’t know if greedy, amoral people will ever be able to change, especially when money, power, and the evil extracted by having too much of each can take a basic fool and turn him into a believer in his own 'godlike stature' which, in his mind, includes power, physical beauty, and magnanimity for the rich....those for whom he deems worthy of it.

I don't know if I fear the greed-based tactics employed by 45 more than the detrimental, life altering maneuvers of a soulless Addison Mitchell McConnell Jr.  

I don’t know if changes can be made within our constitutional laws, rules, or regulations to help protect us in the future from the sheer abuse of power reflected in 45’s corrupt regime.

I don’t know if there is a kinder future...at least, a future familiarized by the essence of faith, hope, love, trust, and freedom. I don’t know about you, but I’ve become gun-shy over the past few years. To experience first-hand the hatred, divisiveness, and abject cruelty of others within our society without much relief, how could I not?

I don't know if I'm in like or strong dislike of Robert Mueller right now. 

I don’t know what is in store for all of us. However, my hope is that decency for the moral standards of life and genuine respect for others have not been indefinitely tarnished by the lowest standards represented in Washington D.C. today. I do believe that there remains enough of us who truly care about maintaining a higher ground of morality and will always fight tooth and nail to keep it that way. 

Author’s Note: Facts regarding the Holocaust are according to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE

Copyright © 2019 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved