Playing Fair and Being Kind

I have known this quote forever, it seems. I read it first in the early-mid seventies when I was searching for the truth that I wanted but could not find. My eyes were dim and I could not see. I had no basic truths. Maybe one…”Keep your head down!”. That worked but not in every situation and I missed a lot of life.

I read the above quote from a book titled “An Illustrated Eschatological Laundry List”. Sheldon Kopp, a therapist, is the author. Over the years since, I have been able to assemble people whom I know into correct-size in relation to what I am as well as how I want to know them and interface with them. This skill seemed necessary to have at the time; during my mid-career Navy days. Everything about the quote fit me. I was comfortable in the twist of the “look again” part. It told me to slow down, take another look, reevaluate. There was a simple wisdom that most people miss in their rush to conclude an issue and then rush on to another piece of life-experience. The concluding phrase about diminishing myself threatened my sense of heroism as related to me. I didn’t fully realize it yet but I was living the hero’s journey on a daily basis. This Sheldon Kopp quote came directly out of my life script. He was telling me that I was in danger of being side-tracked, detoured, and if not, I was being ‘diminished’. That word was a death sentence for me. I chose to be more mindful of what was happening regarding people I admired.

Recently, within the past week, I read a piece on-line about Dr. Anthony Fauci. He was defending his seeming comfort working with the President, Donald Trump. He mentioned that he and Trump knew each other well enough to be able to talk freely whenever they disagreed. Fauci said, “We have a New York bond”. I immediately recoiled. How in the world could anyone have a ‘bond’ with President Trump. He had demonstrated his lack of loyalty to everyone he’d been in business with and his record as President of the United States was failed completely. Where in the world, I wondered, did Fauci find any facet of Trump to grasp onto that would give him the sence of comfort to justify that ‘bond’ comment?

There was a comment section after the interview on the page. I employed it. “Dr. Fauci”, I began. “We are the same age. I am stunned by your naivete. But then, I am from Boston.” I consider Bostonians as aware as anyone on the planet. Then began an attack of huge proportion. Everyone who could find a keyboard loaded up and told me that Dr. Fauci was not naive. That he is a genius. He is on the waiting list for canonization. I was dragged to the village square and placed in the stocks. I was pilloried by individuals who previously liked or loved my comments in the section. What happened? It didn’t occur to me immediately. I think these people had made a hero of Fauci. That was the point of their anger and near-rage toward me. I had pissed on their hero.

It’s taken me a few days but I can only conclude that is the simple explanation. Fauci to some is a miracle person and one cannot criticize him. I still think that Dr. Fauci has a blind side when it comes to the President. Trump owes no loyalty to anyone and if he is being nice to someone it is because he is waiting to not be nice to them. I’ll leave it there.

Peace,
Gentle George
26 December 2020