Photo: On the banks of the Seine, Lady Liberty's sidekick watches over the river on the deck of a péniche, a Paris houseboat
I'm in the States this week, and I happened to catch a show on the radio about a new program that is catching on in South Carolina called The Welcome Table, a series of interactive discussions to open up the dialogue between whites and blacks on the subject of racism, with the goal of reconciliation. They were interviewing a fellow South Carolinian, and they asked her why she was participating in the Welcome Table. And she said:
"My mama told me that I should leave every place I go a little better than the way I found it."
What a wise mama that was! I say, bless her heart. It occurred to me that her mama's words are a pretty good philosophy to live by. What if everyone did this one simple thing? What if we resolved every morning to contemplate, with our every action:" Am I leaving the world a little bit better place?". I picture a world that is blossoming and blooming and expanding, instead of the sorry one when we've got now.
I'm thinking about this, on the cusp of the moment when we have the honor and privilege of voting in the presidential election. But this is not a normal election year. What most folks I know and are saying is, they don't much like either of the choices. And what different and divisive choices they are.
I don't much like either of them myself. So how does one decide how to cast their vote? I propose that Mama's words are as good as any as a criteria for choosing your candidate.
All three candidates are flawed, and in major ways. But which one has tried, in spite of those flaws, to make the world a better place? Strived for peace, and equality? Which has been kind and polite to their fellow humans, championed the rights of minorities, of women, and of the less fortunate among us? Which has a sense of decorum and manners necessary to represent our country to the world? Which candidate has the calm demeanor and experience to deal with the frightening world around us?
Worldwide there is a trend toward nationalism, and you certainly see it in this election. You see it in France with the rise of the deplorable Marine le Pen, in England with Brexit, in all of Europe. Certainly in Russia, and in an especially terrifying way, in the Middle East. In difficult and frightening times, we as humans tend to turn inward, to become protective and suspicious. We close ranks, narrow our minds, we withdraw from the world. We protect our own and forget the rest. We build walls instead of bridges. History tells us that excessive nationalism has one result: world war and aggression.
On November 8 you and I have not a small but an exceptionally large opportunity to change this trend. By looking deep into our hearts and souls and minds and casting a vote for what we believe will not just make our little world, but all the world, a better place. Please take this opportunity and VOTE, to make your voice heard. Bon courage to us all.
FAVORITE READS: My friend Sandi is always reading the best books that are au courant. This week she recommends A Paris Affair
27 thoughts on “What Would Mamma Do?”
Hi Lynn,
Great post. I read recently that only 3 percent of ex-pat vote . . . That’s not good! I voted this week by mail-in early ballot and cast my vote for XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. This has been, and still is, a vicious race for President. Not fun to experience.
Enjoy your stateside visit.
Herm
Bravo,Lynn! Lovely, eloquent and timely..
Well said, Lynn! Early voting started last week on St. Simons and I sure was happy to participate.
Love to you and all your family, Thea ❤️
Right now what we don’t need is to escape from the serious reality of what may happen here in the United States. What we do need here is much prayer that God will bless our land again; That our next leader will maintain the values of our Christian heritage. Also, nationalism is not bad when it will protect the people from real danger, and cause ils people to be safe and secure.
One other thought. Our one presidential candidate appears to be more restrained and polished. What is important, however, is not one’s outward appearance, but one’s actions and governmental results, and the honesty of our next elected president. We have a choice of what has occurred here in the United States for the last eight years, or a change for what I hope will be better results.
Maybe the current nationalism is a reaction to the Thousand Points of Light and the New World Order of uber Capitalists. It seems that many of the same people who praise diversity want EVERY PLACE to be the SAME.
Well said, Lynn!
Thanks so much for this post, Lynn.
As a lifelong Independent voter, I have tried to put rhetoric aside and concentrate on the actions of political candidates. Nationalism does not create war and leave others aside. Weak people do that! Nationalism is essential to the building blocks of any nation, but begins with the individual. In its simplest form, nationalism begins with each person, knowing who they are, what they believe in, and how they want to leave this life better than they found it. Confident, strong individuals, build strong families, who in turn, build strong communities, etc. A country where some thrive, but others don’t, is not a strong world leader. Until it can deliver its promise to its citizens, how can it possibly deliver anything worthwhile to the world. Over the past eight years, we have been witness to the systematic destruction of American character and culture. We need to rebuild that character, that culture, that promise…only then can we embrace the world with integrity and compassion. Recently, I watched an interview on T.V. that crystallized our current dilemma. A local reporter stopped a woman on her way to work and asked for whom she was going to vote. Without hesitation she said, “As a Black woman and a Southern Democrat, I’m voting for Donald Trump. Hillary Clinton has no conscience. Donald Trump can learn to be Presidential, but you can’t teach someone to have a conscience!” A thirty year resume filled with substantiated corruption, criminal activity, fraud, lies, and negligence is not “what mama had in mind”.
Hi Lynn- very well said, especially the paragraph about nationalism & turning inward. That certainly is not the answer. Those of us from NH have been living this “scorched earth” election for over a year now, considering the NH primary was in January. Hopefully, the American people will not choose isolationism. Whatever happens, reconciliation may be very difficult if not impossible. To Diane above- Benjamin Franklin once said: “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
Thank you for your wise and thoughtful words.
Beautifully stated. Thank you.
Hallelujah! Wonderful criteria for voting but I have no problem with Hilary after having seen and heard her in the last debate. Calm, cool and wise in the face of interruption, hysterics and just plain ignorance of how government works from Mr. Trump. And if she were a male no one would be hesitating about whom to vote for.
I love to read and will send you my latest picks. The Six is one and Nancy Mitfird adored Paris and ecerything French.
Outstanding post, Lynn.
Lynn,your post today is not only excellent,but absolutely one of your best.
You expressed what we all are feeling,need to hear, and hope to follow Mama’s words.
Bon courage is exactly right.
THANK YOU!
Our moms are our first teachers and that was a very wise mom in South Carolina. Thank you ! And speaking of mothers, I sure miss yours. Judy
A fine message, Lynn. Thanks for the reminder. We are mail-in voters and will be sending them today.
And in November we’ll be visiting your corner of the country–my first time south of North Carolina (except the Miami airport, which doesn’t count). We’ll wander the attractions in Georgia and South Carolina before heading to Boston to visit brothers and cousins, watching the election results from a hotel room for the first time.
Enjoy your visit here.
Very well said, Lynn. Thank you for making this point st a time when politics around the world are getting scary. I applaud the South Carolinians for working on what is desperately needed to bridge this racial gap.
Thank you!
Dear Lynn,
I have never commented on anyone’s blog before, but must say that ‘Mama’s’ advice is spot on. My father-in-law used to say that the true meaning of your success is if you make the day of everyone you meet just a little better. Not too different from Mama’s advice. Thank you so much for sharing. BTW, we love reading your posts.
Janie
Lady Liberty on the peniche looks like one we saw on the Seine three weeks ago. Where is it? Too bad our schedules did not sync. We spent a week in west Paris, Porte d’Auteuil, then a week in St. Tropez, then a week driving from town to town northward, staying with friends or at airbnbs. Much fun, driving aside.
As I’m winding down my brief stay in France this weekend, I have to say that many times on my trip the French people I talked to even casually had a very definite opinion on who they wanted to be the next American president. I saw it in the newspapers and magazines. This is what I always try to get across to people back home — the world really is watching what America does. My fellow citizens can’t act like America exists in a bubble.
At my regular salon du thé on Friday I encountered an American who has lived in France for a couple of decades proudly sporting an “I’m With Her” button on his coat label. He definitely had already sent his vote in. One reason my visit is so short on this trip is because more than ever I feel like I need to be home on Nov. 8 watching the election returns. So much is at stake.
Well done, Lynn! Hear, hear!
Well Lynn, I’ll leave the presidential politics to others but I’ll tell you whenever I may see you next in France who my South Carolina mama, who thought Jimmy Carter was a Christian, would vote for in this election. But for now, just where is that boat on the Seine with that statue? I seem to have missed it. I especially like to peek in on those little nautical havens imagining what it might be like to live on one, a small glass of red with a friend under the awning at 2:)
Mel
I think pretty much everyone agrees that we are not happy with either of our choices. We mailed ours in last week. I just want it to be over & done with. Excellent post Lynn.
Thank you, Lynn, for your thoughtful post. Out here in CA there’s little disagreement about who our next leader should be, given the choices. And we’re all, everywhere, sick of the nasty campaigning and women/minority bashing from you-know-who. Bernie stirred a pot that will have an impact for change going forward, bless his heart. I do wish the Christians would include all Americans in their thought and prayers. Final comment: we/Villa Ragazzi are so proud that our Sangiovese was served in what is likely to be the last Obama state dinner this week, in honor of visiting Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi. I’m already missing the civil tone at the top from the Obama administration.
Joining the chorus to say: great post! I have already placed my expat vote, as everyone I know here in Italy has too.
I agree most with Ken, Suzanne, Julie, and Michaela. I fervently disagree with most.
Nationalism is a danger; it often leads to war. Do we really want WWIII? One of these candidates is sure to make that a likelihood. Along with creating more and more tension between races, ethnicitie, religions.
To me this election is an easy choice. I’m with HER!Better together! I’m upset by an ex pat’s opinion that Stein is the best choice, because if she gets 5% of the vote, she will get $ for her 2020 campaign. So we just toss our best interest for 4 years, in order to get a 3rd party candidate? How about cleaning up our two traditional parties, getting rid of the Tea Party, and getting back to a system in which one party does not totally obstruct the one in power, where the parties can respect each other and compromise?
Ken, I would like to add– anyone who votes for Trump, thinking he will only bring temporary safety is not a wise voter. I voted for Trump for many many more reasons than that, and based on Diane’s comment, I gather she did too. Loving and serving a Triune God brings the truest liberty and freedom of all. And for my grandchildren I want the Lord Jesus to freely reign in America. I want them to be able to share the faith and pray openly. I want unborn babies to be viewed as humans with their own civil rights. I want minorities in this country to be given the opportunity to work and to provide for their families with the abundance of jobs not taken by illegal aliens allowed unrestricted into this country. I want a strong military, not as an aggressor against the world, but as a protector against the evils of this world, which we all know are only too real today. And, I want America’s national pride back, for any country that forgets what once made it great- i.e., it’s very foundation, is doomed to fail. I could go on and on, but this is not the place. I will close by saying Hillary R. Clinton stood for none of these.
Blessings to you, and because today’s date is December 4, Merry Christmas! Cate Tuten