What Have I Done?

What have I done to deserve such a great life? Certainly nothing. I feel so blessed. Words cannot describe the gratitude I feel towards my friends and family for supporting me. Whether it we had a five minute conversation or you continually offered me advice or listened to my rants, how can I repay you? I feel so grateful to have the chance to pursue a higher education in the fields of my choosing. I have done nothing to be so lucky. Not by any stretch of the imagination. So in this short note, thank you. I'm forever indebted to my family and friends for their support.

Yours,

Andrew

"Do not walk in front of me, I may not follow. Do not walk behind me, I may not lead. Instead, just walk beside me and by my friend." - Albert Camus

We Did It, But At What Cost?

219-212. Health care passed. I'm in awe. But at what cost did it come? I could care less about the midterm results. The decorum and civility we once had as a nation is gone. People yell, "You lie!" and "Baby killer!" in Congress now. There is so much misinformation out there and tensions are high. I just wish people would be able to cooperate. That's all.

The State of the Union

Barack Obama called his shot and hit it. Straight up. He addressed almost all the controversial issues and called for accountability in both parties. The speech was a testament to his calm temperament and charisma, as if those were in doubt. What has been in doubt though are his governing skills. Obama regained his footing tonight. He offered ideas and plans to help this country weather this crisis. I will be anxious to see him follow through on these promises. A speech of epic proportions needs to be followed by epic action so the citizens have epic reassurance and are reminded of why we elected this man as our president. You best believe that he has my utmost faith.

The River of Time

"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it." - Norman Maclean

I came across this quote today and feel it sums up life so eloquently. It seems eventually everything will come together. The river that ties everything together is time. A lot of times you feel connected between your past and your present; other times you don't. But things will eventually combine and make something larger than yourself. The majority of the time, that something is larger and grander than anything anyone of us could have imagined. Everyone has at least one experience in a situation when everything seemed in complete disarray. Often times the pieces fall into place when we least expect it. Other times, they may not. But the river of time washes over that bad memory, wearing it down to the point wear it may be just a small, weathered pebble rather than a boulder.

Perhaps it is my belief that our better days always lie ahead of us or perhaps I'm an eternal optimist, but I believe that as things merge into one our destinies are interconnected. We live not in a world that often views life as an individualistic journey; while this is a great thing, I think it is important to remember that often my success depends on your success. This is something great. Here we all have the chance to realize our potential as a collective group and not just individuals. The paradox is that for humanity to reach its potential, individuals must realize their potential. People come in all different variations, but that is the beauty of it. Eventually, we will all merge into one. Only then will the river of time run through it.

A Victory For America

This morning health care reform passed in the Senate along party lines with a final tally of 60-39. Unbelievable. We finally achieved it. Let it be known though that I wish this bill would have been bipartisan. Health care legislation got through both Congressional chambers and is headed to a conference committee. This is not the be all, end all, but it certainly is a step in the right direction because it extends coverage to more than 30 million people. Democrats finally did something with their towering advantage in the Senate. The dwarfing majority in the House already passed a climate change bill and an overhaul regulating the financial industry. If we could get one more landmark piece of legislation passed before next year's midterms, I would be happy as a clam. If we can get both passed, I'd be ecstatic.

There has been an incredible amount of speculation about next year's midterm elections. While I'm no political pundit, I'd say that the balance will change slightly. Republicans will pick up seats in both the House and Senate. How many depends on how the economy is doing, as that is the chief concern of most Americans. If Democrats can finalize health care and pass the climate change or financial regulation legislation, maybe even both, then they will retain control in the House and Senate. Why? This will prove they can govern efficiently and get important policies implemented. As we head into the new year, if there is one thing I would tell the majority party it would be do not take your commanding lead for granted. Even though there is an identity crisis and ideological struggle within the minority party, history shows that they will pick up seats in the midterms.

For now, Merry Christmas America. We are one step away from implementing the largest social policy since Medicare passed in the 1960s.

A Reflective Nature

Over the past week I have had nothing to do. Well, nothing of pressing matters. There is my list of goals to accomplish, but as far as commitments go, it has been very low key. I like that. It's the way break should be. Over break I have started realizing a paradox that exists within my personality. I am a people person. I love to meet new faces and enjoy getting to know new people. At the same time though, I keep a tight circle of friends who I would take a bullet for. This seems odd. I feel like I'm good at letting people into my life, but maybe I'm not. It is kind of funny to come to this realization, but it could be because those friendships have stood the test of time. The kind of friendships where you can finish each other's sentences and know exactly what the other is thinking. I would like more of those. Perhaps I need to branch out more.

I have also realized that I am a very low maintenance person, which I am a-okay with. I don't really need much to make me happy, nor do I enjoy pop culture that much. I enjoy movies every now and again as well as discovering a new band or artist here and there, but I largely shy away from the Hollywood-esque nature of our society. Perhaps it is because I consider it superficial or maybe it is because it doesn't appeal to me. Either way I would rather spend my time picking my brain and learning what the world has to offer. (That is not to say following pop culture is a bad thing.) I'm slowly learning how the world works and who I am. Or I at least hope I am. If not, then I guess I can't complain. I have never been happier with my life and hope I can still be a positive force for good in this world. Is that too much to ask?

A Growing Disillusion

I feel as though I have grown disillusioned lately by politics. It isn't that I don't taking part in the democratic process because I do. It seems there are always a select few out there who ruin it for others. Maybe it's just me. I feel like there have been so many victories in the House of Representatives this year (health care, climate change, financial regulations, the stimulus), but then they fall short or get watered down in the Senate. It may sound silly, but this is distorting my view of human nature. I have always believed that human nature may not be the best thing in the world, but it certainly can do a lot of good. When our nation is at a tipping point though, I feel like everyone should come together and figure out the most effective course of action, not the liberal or conservative way of doing things. Even though I may fall on one side of the aisle, I will point fingers at both sides. The lack of cooperation that exists among and in the parties is almost disheartening. Maybe it's just me, or maybe it's the truth. But either way, I am a little shocked I am growing disillusioned.