I read the final chapters of Mary Trump’s book while on my way to the polls on Tuesday morning. I was not surprised about what she said about growing up in the Trump family or the clinical assessment she makes of that experience. It is good to hear, firsthand, that families are, indeed, as powerful as the experience.
Donald learned to be who he is as a member of his family. It is not that anyone set out to teach him how to manage real estate or be a parent or an uncle or even the president, although one might argue whether it was his father who was his mentor or his mother or his grandmother. It was the transactions between these players, the variables they had to transact with and the context within which their relationships grew over time that enabled them to emerge as individuals and then to behave the way they do.
Now 88 million Americans or thereabouts love Donald, and some like number seem to hate him with equal passion. What does this split say about what we want our government to do or not do? Actually, we know quite a bit about family dynamics, as well as the pain and joy inherent in relationships, and we are challenged to find a path to follow.
Very briefly this morning the sky here in Brownfield was as red as I have ever seen it. A minute or two later, it was gray to black. Now at 9:17 a.m. it is emerging as bright and sunny. What can we glean from November 2020 so far? Jared Golden emerged from the process pleased that he had run a positive campaign and I was pleased I voted for him. Sara Gideon let the Democrats in Washington run her campaign and I was pleased that I ranked her after Lisa Savage. Together we will continue to benefit from a senior senator who has learned the lesson of patience and respect. The sun will continue to lighten the morning sky, and we will have to continue to govern ourselves as best we can.
James Tierney
Brunswick
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