Stories of Hope During Political Change
By Dr. David Lawson

      Coming out of the recent November elections I have had discussions with friends and family about the days’ successes and losses. Many supported a candidate that lost, while others felt stressed that the shift in congress might significantly impact their lives.

      As I explored the reasons for their stress, most shared their concerns about the moral or ethical state of our country. Many of their answers emphasized problems with the values of one party or the other. I pondered whether the results of the elections might be alarming. I immediately began reflecting on the past political changes and how they impacted our culture and my life, and positive stories began flooding my mind.

      My parents believed in acting out their faith and their beliefs, and this pervaded every aspect of our family. Our lives and our opportunities to help others were very similar during various political climates, and I will share a few stories.

      During Carter’s administration my family began volunteering at the local City Rescue Mission. My parents wanted to make sure that our family understood alcoholism and did something to make a difference. Thus, every third Saturday from the time I was in sixth grade we hopped into our van and trekked out to the Rescue Mission. It was not always my favorite place, particularly during my teenage years, but this taught me an incredible lesson about the power of alcohol and how loving arms made a significant difference.

      During Reagan’s administration, while I was in college, my sister and I became involved with a young Christian woman from Indonesia who had become pregnant. Her Christian family, fearing a reaction from the Muslim community in Indonesia, had sent money for her to have an abortion. We convinced her to keep the child, and then my mother and father raised the young child while the woman finished her undergraduate degree.

      During Clinton’s administration my mother and father began developing a community theatre for the rural county where they lived. They wanted families to have an opportunity to attend theatre and enjoy the experience together. They started small, with a couple of shows each year, meeting in the local school gymnasium. They now have a building and have received more than one million dollars to help finish that dream.

      During George W’s administration, my mother became concerned that the United States was isolating itself from other countries, particularly Middle Eastern countries. She began e-mailing ambassadors from three different Middle Eastern countries to begin a dialog. The ambassadors were living in New York, working at the United Nations, thus I did not expect her to get a response. She received a response almost immediately. Not only did they begin e-mailing regularly, but she was able to interact with one ambassador on many levels, including many spiritual discussions.

      Each of these stories provides comfort for me after the elections. It is not about who is in power that is the most significant issue in our lives, but how we live regardless of who is in power. And it is our lives that provide the greatest story, lives that can provide hope and inspire others despite the political climate.

Dr. David Lawson is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and is a Professor of Counseling Psychology at Palm Beach Atlantic University-Orlando Campus. He can be reached through e-mail at: dalawson@earthlink.net.