P.S. I wanted to mention that I’ve signed up to join the Poor People’s Campaign, founded by the Rev. William Barber. I’ll be writing about the group and my part in it as it develops. This is, to me, a positive way to engage in politics.  jk

A voice in my head says, “that’ll do.”

I’m shifting gears in my writing, taking another one of those turns that marks my life and writing.

I’m sorry we are facing another impeachment trial; I was hoping we could begin to turn away from the poison, at least for a while.

Brace yourself for Republican cowardice and rationalizing, for Trump to rail again about how the election was stolen from him, for passions and emotions to bubble up again, at least for a while.

As I read it, there’s no chance now of Trump being convicted by the Senate; I am weary of writing the same thing; it’s draining my spirit. I’m sure it’s draining yours.

That is where I stop being useful.

I like to write things people don’t know, not things they do. We’ve danced this dance for four years. Partisans and people, blue and red, left and right, politicians, the media can’t let go of our struggles and divisions; I can and will.

It’s now how I wish to spend the rest of my life, or what might be a good chunk of it.

I am hopeful for the country; the further we get from Donald Trump, the better it will be. I believe tomorrow will be better than today. We are better off than we were.

Trump without a platform has been good for the country,  even for a few weeks; I’m sorry he’s going to get another chance to manipulate people and lie to them and upset and divide our fragile democracy.

To what end, exactly? So we can be reminded of how divided we are?  How differently we see truth and justice? And how awful he was?

Many people are talking and writing about politics, I have a lot of other things to write about in my life, and I’m eager to focus on them. My blog is about life, animals, spirituality, and change. I’m so anxious to return to my thoughts and studies about the spiritual life; I will share them.

Just thinking about the impeachment trial makes my stomach sink. I wonder if there will ever be a time when people come first? The country needs a break; let us climb out of the muck and mire.

Condemn to the worst possible punishment for him: ignore him. Impeachment is just another romp in the spotlight; he will make good use of it. As he has done all of his life, he will walk away from his wrongdoings and failures. We are giving him the gift of acquittal.

The Republic stands; he didn’t wreck it and continue to stand.

He has lots of reckoning to face; let him to it.  The people need real and urgent help. An impeachment trial isn’t it, in my mind, something that will help President Biden do the good things he says he means to do.

Writing about politics was very good for me; it is good for me to turn to other things. I have no regrets; I’m not into looking back.

My writing has always been inspired by E.B. White and his famous “One Man’s Meat” column, written from his farm in Maine before and after World War II.

He too explored politics once in a while, but it was never the heart of his wonderful work. He wrote about rural life, farm life, animal life, dogs, and the fascinating subject of all – the passages of life.

I loved writing about politics some time ago, and I loved returning to it. I still feel for it; I’m proud of what I wrote. It is a gift to feel relevant.

But I will be honest. I don’t really see the point in impeaching a President who is no longer President. If he’s broken the law, let the law and the criminal justice system deal with it. Why give his many supporters yet another reason to feel aggrieved and him something else to whine about?

Is that cowardly of me? Maybe. I sense now there are weary souls on both sides who need and deserve some rest and normalcy.

I understand that many people feel this impeachment is the right thing to do, and perhaps it is. Supporting insurrection is unacceptable. But the insurrection failed and ushered in a time of hope, light, and connection.

The moral choice for me is to gather together to save lives, feed the hungry, and heal some wounds. I don’t miss Trump at all. I leave some punishments to God.

The good thing about heart surgery is that it makes one appreciate life and the importance of honoring it and living it. I think I did my duty. I think it’s time to move on.

I support President Biden in his call for unity; I think he will make things better, impeachment or not. I think he is sincere.

I guess my heart is saying it’s time to live my life, I have so much to write about, a partner that needs my love, dogs eager to sit by my side, photographs to take, donkeys to spoil, a hungry blog eager for my full attention.

I enjoyed digging into the remarkable character that is Donald  Trump and exploring the movement that we call Trumpism. It was a challenge.

I came to understand him a bit, and many people have told me they appreciated my writing. That is flattering and uplifting for me.  I needed that.

But as the shepherds say to the border collies, “that’ll do.”

Everything has its time and place, and the wise men and women know when it’s time to change.

As always, this isn’t the end of something for me; it’s yet another beginning. My head is bursting with ideas to explore. When I give up something, I gain something.

I can’t wait to see what it is.

The people at the Mansion and the people at Bishop Maginn High School are getting their vaccines, and soon, I’ll get mine. Back to my real work, in addition to my very real farm.

My heart is in both places; they are metaphors for life and good, I miss them.

I’m eager to return to the small acts of kindness that have come to define my life at this time. The Mansion residents and the refugees need us more than ever, and I very much enjoy telling the stories and dramas of the animals we live with.

They need me too. So does the Army Of Good. We need one another.

I hope the people who have supported Donald Trump in his vicious and destructive rampage through our democracy will think on it and move on. He did little good and much harm.

I’m not interested in arguing about it; we are all entitled to and burdened with our own beliefs.

For those many new readers, stick around. The best is yet to come.

To those of you are upset with me for following my own ethics and values and expressing my own opinions,  I have one message for you: get lost, go somewhere else.

There are 40 million blogs in America; I’m sure you can find one you like better.

I believe good things and troubling things are ahead for the country, and I want my writing to be meaningful and uplifting to people, not part of the fray and the din.

That’ll do.