On Family And Friends
Politics, Football, and Family
In this house, we are Seahawks fans.
We like some other teams too, the Packers, the Steelers, the Dolphins. We dislike some other teams, the 49ers, the Patriots. It’s all in good fun, and sometimes it can get really exciting.
Countless other homes around the United States are just like ours. The teams beloved or despised may change from home to home, but the passion for our team, whichever one it might be, remains largely the same.
It’s football, and for millions and millions, it is The Game.
We are Seahawks fans. In Casa Bailey, that’s just how it is.
But, the in-laws. The in-laws are a problem. A big problem.
They are Cowboy fans.
I don’t know why this could be, all I can do is assume that they are delusional.
On Thanksgiving they will arrive in the late morning, and likely stay until evening. And we will all get along. Because we all recognize that family ties are far more important than disagreements about what might be the finest football team.
Since the election I’ve seen a lot of people posting on Social Media that they plan to, at best, not attend family holiday celebrations, and at worst cut off family entirely. Because of differences in how people within the family voted.
I’ve seen this encouraged by some television news commentators, and online influencers.
It is, of course, absurd.
Undoubtedly politics is important. Who runs our governments and the policies they pursue are vital for us, our children, and our grandchildren.
It is not however the most important thing. It will not result in our joy or our fulfilment. It is not our salvation.
Our politicians are not heroes. Not saviors. They are people, with all of the human failings shared by all.
What is much more important than politics and politicians are our families.
Our blood families for some of us, and our chosen families for others.
It is these people with whom we will find joy. With these people we will find fulfilment. When we are down we will be lifted up by them, when we are on top they will help hold us high.
When we are young, family provides us with examples to emulate; when we are old it allows us to mentor those who came after us.
It would be completely nonsensical for me to ban the in-laws from coming over for Thanksgiving Dinner because they are delusional Cowboy fans. Likewise they would be nuts to avoid coming here because this is a Seahawks house.
A healthy society, and a healthy individual, would view political differences in exactly the same way. Because politics is important, but family, blood and chosen, is immeasurably more so. We do good when we can hold this proper perspective, no matter how brightly our passions of the moment might burn.
You would think family is more important than politics... Alas, my family wasn't welcomed to Thanksgiving dinner because my (adult) child is nonbinary and their uncle, out of the blue, decided he didn't "want that around his kids."
In case you're wondering, this is why some of us are so overly concerned with the outcomes of elections.