Maybe I'm Just Easy ...

[NanceGreggs]

… But I Love You All.

Due to personal feelings to be dealt with, along with the traditional holiday craziness, my participation on DU has been minimal of late. I’ve been lurking in the shadows, reading without commenting – and, in so doing, have been seeing things a bit differently from the perspective of someone watching from the sidelines.

And the view from here is magnificent.

The passion is palpable. It is as evident in the outraged anger as it is in the desire to calm troubled waters. It is as stirring in its call to arms as it is inspiring in its plea to be cooperative and reasonable. It is, all at once, violent and soothing, strange and familiar, distancing and inviting, jarringly blunt and unspeakably eloquent.

Lines have been drawn and players have chosen their side of the field. And yet the end game is of a piece; we all want to be in the same place when all is said and done.

While we choose different paths to get where we’re going, each insisting that our way is the only way – knowing full well that the roads leading to our common destination are as varied as are our opinions – we seek common ground to tread, and rejoice in finding comrades with whom to travel the highway that lies ahead.

There is something to be said for that passion, for its incredible ability to lure us into participation, for its magical capacity to make us believe we can make a difference in this world, for its almost mystical quality that leads us to speak up rather than be silent at a time when silence is no longer acceptable.

I may not agree with all of you. I don’t accept all of your positions, nor do I adopt them as my own.

I don’t believe everything you believe – and my own beliefs are as precious to me as yours are to you.

But whether we see things the same way or not is no longer of paramount importance – the fact that we all have a point of view, and feel free to express it, is something we’ve done without in this country for far too long.

There’s something to be said for our basic democratic right to speak and be heard – something wonderful.

And I hope I’ve just said it.

And I love all of you for having said it, each in your own way.

[grantcart]

1. Sure go ahead and disrupt our hissyfit with affection and clear thinking

Its just so you.

and thank you.

[tbyg52]

28. Disrupt a hissyfit? Isn't that an oxymoron?

Oh, the mental pictures you have given me....! :hi: :rofl:

[Mithreal]

2. I really enjoyed this post. Thank you. nt

[MadMaddie]

3. You do have a way with words Nance

That's the great thing about DU everyone is passionate and in the end we all want to see a better America.

Thanks for posting this!!

MadMaddie

[Divine Discontent]

4. My oh My... she's been watching us - how embarrassing for us all!

:rofl:

bless you friend. I appreciate you understanding people should be able to speak whatever they feel coming from within.

I salute you with a PB&J with the crusts cut off! ;)

[NanceGreggs]

7. With the crusts cut off ...

... just the way I like it. How'd you know?

[Divine Discontent]

9. I like to imagine we're separted at birth

then I realize my writing is not as romantic, eloquent, and at times - humorously blunt - as you my bud! LOL But, yeah, it's because we're similar, I know this.

much love, and I pray you're doing fantastic this evening...

[DCKit]

35. I'm way smarter than my siblings too...

but I don't lord it over them any more than Nance would us. Kidding!!!!

And Nance, it's good to see you again.

[ruggerson]

5. are you honoring the rabble

or the rousers?

;-)

[scheming daemons]

37. Depends... which are you, ruggerson? A rabbler or a rouser?

;-)

[watrwefitinfor]

6. I just had the honor of giving this the 5th Rec.

WTG, Nance.

Wat

[NanceGreggs]

8. The honour is mine.

Thank you.

[bridgit]

10. Uh huh, tell that to the people that just got here & god bless them whomever they may be...

And here an excerpt from *my* hubby, a great man, regarding matters more contentious then even any one of these here at DU, "It is palpable. It is felt upon the skin, the tongue. It is the very path itself what move upon the waters" somewhere within the Library of Congress of these United States of America and no...

Not only does he not care nor give a tinker's damn; it does not matter, God Bless America -- AMERICA! :patriot:

[The Doctor.]

11. "If I cannot follow you into the rage, please do not forsake me for bidding from the shore."

Also; "Do not revile me for remembering my own point of view while plumbing yours".

Thanks Nance.

[The Wizard]

12. Loooking out the window

and seeing the green side of the grass, followed by a Nance Greggs post embracing the DU community makes for a good start to the Winter Solstice.
Thanks to everyone for all you contribute to help make sense of the world.

"We're all just one too many mornings and a thousand miles behind"
(Bob Dylan)

[ejbr]

13. How true this all is!

I have been straddling the fence on this week's contentious topic and this is all due to our ability to voice our concerns, questions and beliefs. However, when all is said and done Obama is president. I have to remind myself every now and again. It wasn't a dream!

And that being said, I will gladly bicker over ANYTHING he decides to do rather than lament the choices of McCain!

[jamesatemple]

14. Very well stated, ejbr!

"...I will gladly bicker over ANYTHING he decides to do rather than lament the choices of McCain!" That pretty well "bottom-lines" it for me.

And, another rec for our "voice of reason", Nance.

[ccharles000]

15. ...

:hug:

[rosesaylavee]

16. Woke up thinking about DU this morning and the struggle

here this past week. Was thinking about how to write something soothing like this. You said it so much better than I would have... thank you for that! And thank you for doing it as I need to spend my time this morning getting ready for my pre-Christmas guests arriving today. :P

You are quite a gifted writer and I do hope that some smart media outlet will eventually 'get it' too and start paying the big bucks to write for their publication(s).

Merry Christmas!

[pipi_k]

18. There are people here

who can say it so much better than I ever could...

and I agree with you, that Nance is a gifted writer whom I hope will someday be given the chance to bring her words to more people...

:)

[rosesaylavee]

19. She is one of the outstanding writers here

and I will not be surprised when she gets a new gig wherever that will be. My hope is that she will always know she has a home here and of course that she continues to post here too!

[peace frog]

17. Right back at ya

:grouphug:

[geckosfeet]

20. Somethings going to happen, something wonderful.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_(film)

[elkston]

22. Its full of stars.

[Shiver]

21. .

I can't seem to find any words...

[lenegal]

23. Thank you so much for being a voice of reason.

Very well stated.

[unhappycamper]

24. Thank you, Nance.

Well said. :thumbsup:

Ya'll know my passions.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

25. My dear Nance...

Oh, perfectly said, sweetie!

So beautiful, so gentle, yet so incisive...

The keen observer, the great writer...

I am proud to share this space with you, to call you friend...

K&R

:hug:

[TomInTib]

26. Yeah... Easy, that's it.

You said it.

And I love you, too.
T.

[texastoast]

27. How is it

You can strike that universal chord without flexing a muscle? Ah, talent.

I hope you are doing well and will find all the blessings of this magical season.

:toast:

[Political Tiger]

29. Words of Wisdom! K & R

Thank you!

[lyonn]

30. For weeks I have been letting all the warm comfy feelings

surround me just thinking about our Obama presidency. It was hard to come to DU and know that there would be some bashing and wasn't ready to have an opinion. For 8 years my mind has been in a state of disbelief and fear watching george busily trying to destroy this country. My biggest worry lately has been what will george do before he is GONE!!

It would be nice if there was no invocation as far as I'm concerned, separation of church and state theory(?). When Obama's cabinet picks speak there is no "god bless America" statements. That helps. Just the thoughts of Rev. Warren causes irritation and I choose to ignore since it can't be changed. Warren will not be in charge of "new rules" when it comes to civil rights, thank gawd!

Possibly Obama's liberal religious views came from his mother who it seemed subjected him to all religions?

[Lisa0825]

31. Thank you for the positive , warm and fuzzy post... all too rare these days. nt

:pals:

[bonito]

32. Damn it there you go again

You are the aspiration for anyone's soul and welcomed here!
:grouphug:

[Number23]

33. You know what I don't get? Even when you say absolutely NOTHING

you get more recs than any other thread on this site.

You type out a post saying "I haven't been posting, just reading" and people act as though that's actually interesting and something that others should read as well.

Edit: Never mind. Not only would my comment do absolutely nothing, but I realize that I am typing in anger and in damn near tears over what has to be the most idiotic and insulting thread I've seen on DU. Edit again: And I'm not talking about this thread, which I'm sure you already knew.

[saltpoint]

34. Rare as it certainly is, it is always such a fine thing when

broadly talented people turn out to be genuinely kind people as well.

As is the case with the OP of this thread.

[DCKit]

36. Jebus, could you imagine the damage...

if any of the Bushies were intelligent AND competent?

Small favors....

[saltpoint]

39. True indeed -- if the Bush administration had been truly good instinctual

leaders, they would have been more of both.

And sad to say for us, they turned out to be less of both.

[gblady]

38. been watchin'

and waiting to hear from you...
eloquent and perceptive as usual.

[AntiFascist]

40. Thank you Nance Greggs....

if only Obama himself had learned to be as accepting and inclusive as you, instead of choosing to speak his mind in the way that he did at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church, as lwcon pointed out in his thread, where he stated his position on marriage 'being the union between a man and a woman.'

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8016744

At the time, I was willing to ignore this statement because I knew that Obama was working toward winning an election, and I fully supported him in the effort. Now, as I watch his inauguration, the triumph I should feel may be replaced by the fear that my own marriage may be in danger of being dissolved. The path that I chose could face a u-turn.