Ouch, that hurt!

I'll admit it. I'm a bit shocked at the election results, especially after the exit polls were leaning so heavily to Kerry. But in the final count, the late signups and undecideds broke for Bush in a big way. A couple of personal reflections about this election:

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With George Bush wielding all of this newfound political capital, I think it’s wise for the remaining liberal bastions, like San Francisco, to circle the wagons. Fortunately, quite a few Democrats have won local elections, so certain local governments will be able to successfully fight for personal liberties against the encroaching conservative federal mandate. Therefore, in the final analysis, the only thing we really have is each other. As a result, we, free-spirited liberal thinkers and stoned slackers and out of work dotcommers, need to stick together, support each other, and work together to make life worth living. Remember that the best revenge is a life well lived.

Anyway, I was taught the art of meditation by a Taoist master… wow, close to thirty years ago. When I talked to my teacher about politics and “changing the world”, he simply sighed and told me that Lao Tzu, the author of the Tao Te Ching, wrote that text because he was stopped by a border guard who knew his reputation as a sage, and begged him to write something down, before he disappeared into the Western hinterlands. But the question is, he added, why was Lao Tzu leaving China in the first place? Because decency was waning, the government was corrupt, and evil and incompetent men were gaining the upper hand. In other words, he was disgusted.

If Lao Tzu were alive today, and watched the rise of George W. Bush, what would he do? Well, he’d probably sigh, but he’d tell you that this is the way of the world, that good and bad will always battle, and that decency and intelligence of political leaders will wax and wane and wax and wane until the end of time. It’s an endless soap opera – so don’t get so attached. And then he’d get on his donkey and head for the rocks and pines in the untrampled territories of the Cascades or Himalayas.

Yep, that’s what Lao Tzu would probably say. Don’t get so attached to the world. Look inside, that’s where true happiness and fulfillment dwells. And if you choose to be politically active, remember what Winston Churchill said, "The essence of success is the ability to go from failure to failure to failure, without any loss of enthusiasm."

God bless ya and America too.