Four Miles From Boring

The State of What Union?

Don't you just love tradition?

Every year, I love snuggling in on the couch, picking my favorite network, and settling in for an hour of rhetoric. It's the State of the Union, baby! The political Super Bowl! Let's get ready to rumble!!!

The first half of the speech, no shocker, focusing on the war and international affairs. What that has to do with the state of our union I'm still trying to figure out...

And who doesn't love when the president tries to scold Congress for not passing his Social Security reform, and the Dems start laughing and clapping! For a few moments, I was hoping to see some real excitement.

But the most memorable moment of the night, this quote likely forgettable for most viewers:

"As we renew the promise of our institutions, let us also show the character of America in our compassion and care for one another."

And I got thinking..is this true? Do we, as Americans, really show our compassion and care for one another? Or do we only do it when the shit hits the fan?

Sure, most of us dug deep, helping the victims of Katrina, donating clothes and money to the needy and those truly suffering. But what about every day? What about the person on the road you honked at, the woman at the grocery store who ran ahead to beat you in line with her overflowing cart as you carry just three items, the neighbor on the street you ignored without a hello?

Do you know I've seen two men get in a physical fight about how to stand in line for coffee?

I've seen people press ahead in their cars when someone in the next lane turns on their signal.

I've watched people yell at retail workers for things completely out of their control.

This doesn't look like compassion and care for one another to me.

No, we're not all evil. And we're not doomed. But I struggle to see how the president can talk about how we take care of each other when I see so much disregard for one another's feelings.

Of all the president's challenges he set for the U.S., I set my own. I challenge myself to be kind. To let people in my lane during traffic. To let people with just a few items in front of me at the grocery store. To not honk out of anger, but only as a warning. To help not only those in need, but to help make life easier for everyone I meet.

I don't often believe or agree with the president. But this time, I want to prove him right.

posted by Allison @ 7:41 PM