By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D.
Where do we begin with the meanness and hate that is occurring in our great republic? We are experiencing so much hurt and suffering that our emotions are raw.
We see in plain view the lives of people being taken from us. There arenât any excuses for us treating each other in this vile way. It must stop.
Our good senses have taken leave of us. We bring hurt and harm to those around us. Gun shots rang out in our cities almost as if it was second nature.
Our disagreements should not lead to violence and death. It is a sad fact however we are living in dangerous and unstable times. You and I see the statistics, so we donât have to go over them in this space.
Stress is upon us daily. It hangs like a cloud over our heads. We are nervous and on edge when we leave our homes. Our workplaces, in too many instances, have unhappy people in them. The least little thing sets them off.
Remember the old expression, âsticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.â Well, that is not true in todayâs world. Folks are troubled by what is said and how it is said.
Back in my day, scuffles did not happen at the drop of a hat. People just didnât lose their cool like they do today. Do you like going to work? Are you afraid to speak up because you fear retaliation? If you are working in a good and healthy work environment, then you should be thankful each day.
During my professional life, I was blessed to have worked in some emotionally fulfilling places. I loved going to work because of the people that I was interacting with daily.
Well, when you finish your workday, you will probably go to the grocery store. The first thing you will see is the long lines. The second thing will be the high prices.
The long lines are attributable to employers not hiring more staff. Trying to do more with less seems to be the corporate mantra these days. Everyone can agree the prices are higher. Business leaders have acknowledged that fact.
The frustration with increased pricing is that they will be with us for the foreseeable future. The tariffs which are aligned with the price hikes arenât going to be lifted so we are stuck with them. If you are a part of the boomer generation, you are trying to juggle grocery prices and prescription medications.
You must couple that with many hospitals, especially in rural areas, shutting down some of their services. These are challenging times for those in the 4th quarter and in overtime.
All of this is happening as legislators are at odds with one another. They are hurling insults across the aisle thinking thatâs winning them some brownie points with the American people. Well, itâs not. We are looking for answers from them, not acrimony and dissent.
Right now, we are headed down the wrong road. Itâs an unpaved road with potholes.
In a reflective moment recently, I imagined that it wasnât that way. I can only imagine what if danger wasnât lurking outside of our door each day. I can only imagine what if our communities were safe and that our children and grandchildren could play outside.
I can only imagine what would happen if our jobs were happy places to be. I can only imagine what if food prices were such that we could purchase all that we needed and some of what we wanted.
I can only imagine what if older Americans didnât have to worry about making ends meet. And I can only imagine what if lawmakers passed laws and policies for the American people.
I can only imagine.
