Since the 2006 elections, I have been so closely involved in getting more progressive legislation passed or candidates elected. There has been much money raised and spent and many grassroots and Netroots activism engaged. I was elated by the results of the 2012 cycle … and decided to take a few months off.
With the exception of DailyKos (and every nowandagain a peak at HuffPo), I have stopped reading daily political news. I cut my intake of printed news down to Newsweek magazine (even now that they’ve gone “electric”, I still consider them print. It really is a good magazine if you haven’t checked it out!). I even turned off Rachel Maddow. If you lived in my house, you’d know that she’s a staple! Even my kids think I’m in love with her! LOL.
Instead, I have concentrated on a few things: I will be Chair of the Board of the local Chamber of Commerce soon. I am now Chair of the Human Relations Commission for my city where last year I introduced a new interactive civic discussion series call The Civility Roundtable. In that series, we discuss national issues and how they distill down to the local level. We’ve spoken about Corporate Responsibility to the communities in which they reside, Illegal Immigration/Non-Documented workers, we were going to do Gay Marriage, but that isn’t nearly as confrontational as it once was (especially in the San Francisco Bay Area), and the next one will be on violence. I am also chartered with raising funds for our local youth theater (to which, my daughter belongs and performs) and I just joined a task force for the elementary school district which is experiencing population growing pains. In short, I am very busy…without all the political activism thrown in.
But the thing that stands out for me recently is how tiring it all is. Looking at my contributions on Facebook alone, all of my blogging and posting of “facts”--and the attendant arguments that would ensue for people who tend to disagree with me – it just got tiring. Do you get tired, too? So much so that I vowed, the day after the election in November, not to post any more political stuff on Facebook - which is probably a good idea in-of-itself!
In all of this, I have neglected loving my wife the way she deserves to be loved. I have sometimes put events and meetings ahead of the family. I have travelled away from family and work to knock on doors or go to conventions (all for the “cause”)…and I have missed home activities I should have attended.
We talk about a “balanced” life here at DailyKos every once and awhile. And recently there was a rec listed diary about dying with regrets. I am committed to being an active citizen in my community. But I must learn to balance that with my family. I’m only 45 years old and hopefully decades from my last breath. I hope I leave a legacy of good and progress for this world. But I most hope for the love and peace that only family can bestow. Excuse me while I go and get some well needed rest. I’ve got a lot of things coming down the pipe! I need to be ready.