The heavy, warm air sits on my body like a heavy blanket. A fog of heat surrounds us no matter what we are doing. Even in the shade the suffocating temperatures feel as if someone just opened a hot oven in our faces. The trees seem to sag, their heavy leaves still in the thick air. Oxygen seems limited and even the birds are still. Swimming pools warm us rather than cooling the body. How did the water heat up to this extent?

Sitting under a spreading walnut tree in my yard, my fingers feel sticky on the keyboard. Perhaps it will ruin my laptop to be out here typing away in the humid afternoon. That makes it important to finish soon.

It is important to see the world as it is. “We have nothing to fear but fear itself” is a wonderful saying but it leaves out a lot of facts. While being grateful is probably the most important antidote to fear, the importance of a realistic approach cannot be ignored. Our country is under attack. The question is “by whom”? Many fear the unknown and “outsiders”. However it may be that the real danger is internal. Unless we are willing to stand up for what we believe we may find ourselves prisoners of a system we never intended to rule us.

The present election presents the perfect example. Both of the main contenders are widely disparaged and disliked. On the other hand many who feel their particular candidate is the ONLY answer turn a blind eye to the faults of these people. No one is perfect. Everyone must make concessions, of course. However, remaining closed minded could result in chaos later.

Donald J. Trump is bombastic and loud in his condemnation of all of his rivals. Those who hate him say he is a liar. But those who like him feel he is telling people what they need to know. His words are twisted constantly by the media and he seems angry (fearful) as a result. But he may be striking a chord that resonates with mainstream values we call American. He is a Patriot. This is no longer politically correct. So his views are denigrated and despised by the opposite party. We are all one, they say. It is wrong to disparage any one group or race or religion. However, some people really want to destroy us. It is not folly to say so. It is demonstrably true. He made money over his whole life and yet the press talks constantly about his 4 bankruptcies. Out of his hundreds of companies it seems rather tame to have only experienced the failure of 4 of them. He is very rich by his own admission, but in many ways he fits in with blue collar workers and legal aliens in ways his opponent does not.

Hilary R. Clinton is unlikable and arguably dishonest. Her detractors find her indefensible. She comes with a huge load of baggage from over the years as a politician and the wife of a politician. Her admirers find her tough and experienced. They ignore the whispers of intrigue and malfeasance. Women often like her simply because she is a woman. They will NOT hear a word against her. They will follow her anywhere. Even when evidence is available to prove her duplicity, they ignore it. She is protected by the left leaning media and castigated constantly by Fox News. She is rarely asked the hard questions. She says she cares about “the people” but she is elitist and basically in the clutches of Wall Street. Not to mention her ties with Saudi Arabia and other countries who fund her Clinton Foundation and her speaking engagements. She is not really “of the common” people. She wants to be with the very rich. She has made millions in politics. How does this make her trustworthy?

We live in interesting times. People are polarized and many are either scared or angry. Anger really is simply a manifestation of fear. And there seems to be a lot of it everywhere. A dark underbelly of corruption and malice appears to have been exposed recently. Many refuse to believe that evil exists and stick their heads back in the sand (or the TV) and lose themselves in “entertainment” whether watching the news or a paid program of fiction or fact.

Stay awake, and express your true opinions when asked. There is nothing to be ashamed of in speaking your own truth.