Is There Life After Retirement?

Right now I’m watching part two of the Billy Joel documentary “And So It Goes.”  The first part was great and this may be even better.  But I had to stop for a minute.  He’s talking about his successful grandfather’s life as a non-practicing Jew in Hitler Germany.  Apparently the “non-practicing” part had no effect on the degree to which he was discriminated.  Not only was he forced to give up his textile business, but he also managed to quietly leave the country, and barely avoided the concentration camps.

I had to hit the pause button.  Why?  Not just to absorb the story, but to once again wonder – why are nearly half the “good people” of the United States not making the connection between the parallel of where our country is right now, at this moment and Nazi Germany?  Why are they not seeing it?  I don’t understand.  Avoiding cognitive dissonance?  Too much social media?  Fear?  Bingo.  I think that last one may have taken hold of more people “in the middle” than they’d like to admit.

And then there’s the thought that keeps me up at night:  What should I do?  What is my specific role right now?

So far, all I’ve managed to do is figure out what ISN’T my role.  Everyone plays a different part, but I know that my part is NOT to:

1. Rail on about things on social media
2. Take a stand that radically pushes us farther apart

Beyond that?

I simply don’t know.

I’ve considered boycotting all the @$$hole businesses who have put greed above what’s right (networks, Amazon, social media empires, and so many more) but I don’t believe there could ever be enough numbers to even make a whiff of a difference.

I think the No Kings movement has potential.  Not for our totally broken government, but for the big bucks industry folks to realize, “Wait.  These are our consumers.  Hmmmm.”  Thus far I haven’t participated, due to hobbling around with a cane and very new knee the first time, and being committed to a district Rotary event this past Saturday. 

Rotary.  Now that’s a small part of what I CAN do.  A service organization that does not take a stand on religion or politics is a great way to bring some good into the world.  However, that alone is not enough.

Another route I’ve taken (and should put more energy into it) is focusing on politics on a more local level.  I think individuals might have more impact on smaller races.  And btw, although more often than not the candidates I vote for are Democrats, I also vote for Republicans who are moderate, supportive of human rights and (these days) not beholden to the current administration.

Those are nice little things, but still not enough.

Here’s my dilemma:

What I WANT to be is a little part of the mechanism that finds some bridges to help bring us together.  And by “us” I mean the big middle.  Yes, I am somewhat left of center.  Yes, I could be considered a liberal.  But that’s just me.   Think of “the middle” as a broad width of moderates on both sides of an imaginary line.  And THAT’s who I would like to bring together.  Those on the far right and far left – I leave you for someone else to figure out.

I don’t know.  I…just…don’t…know.

It would be so easy to just shake my head and then bury it in the sand.  But I can’t.

So … I toss it out to the five people who read my blog (humor).  Open to suggestions.  Feel free to comment here or contact me privately.  Thanks for listening.  (Okay, reading but you know what I mean)

And watch the Billy Joel doc on HBO.  It’s worth it. [Marti un-pauses it now]