Sunday, 12/16/19: Start of a New Week

Yesterday was a do-nothing day. I helped Herman in the yard for a few hours, but didn’t accomplish much more than that. We did watch The King with Timothee Chalamet and Sean Harris. It was outstanding, both in terms of production quality and acting. I was very impressed with Chalamet’s performance. I think this will be a breakthrough film for his career. The film was a little slow going at times, but held my interest and built into an interesting finish where ideals outweigh outcomes. 

This morning, I read a dozen pages of My Life by Bill Clinton, and came across a speech he gave at the 1992 democratic convention that impressed me with its simplicity and eloquence:

Tonight every one of you knows deep in your heart that we are too divided. It is time to heal America. 

And so we must say to every American: Look beyond the stereotypes that bind us. We need each other. All of us, we need each other. We don’t have a person to waste. And yet for too long politicians have told most of us that are doing all right that what’s really wrong with America is the rest of us. Them.

Them, the minorities. Them, the liberals. Them, the poor, them the homeless, them, the people with disabilities. Them, the gays.

We’ve gotten to where we’ve nearly them’ed ourselves to death. Them and them and them. 

But this is America. There is no them; there is only us. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. That is our Pledge of Allegiance and that’s what the New Covenant is all about….

Somewhere at this very moment, a child is being born in America. Let it be our cause to give that child a happy home, a healthy family, and a hopeful future. Let it be our cause to see that that child has a chance to live to the fullest of her God-given capacities…. Let it be our cause that we give this child a country that is coming together, not coming apart—a country of boundless hopes and endless dreams; a country that once again lifts it’s people and inspires the world. Let that be our cause, our commitment, and our New Covenant. My fellow Americans, I end tonight where it all began for me: I still believe in a place called Hope. God bless you and God bless America. 

Insight of the Day: Simple and eloquent trumps flashy and bombastic every time.