Cookies, Conversation, and Common Ground

"Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else.”

                                                                                                ― Theodore Roosevelt

I've been asked why I call the current president PINO. To those who deeply respect the office of the presidency, my use of the term may feel disrespectful. My response has been simple: I don’t believe he respects the office or the American people. When I came across the Roosevelt quote above, I thought, "Well, Teddy said it better than I ever could."

I spent a couple of hours video chatting with my cousin, Eleanor, today. Our monthly chats are always a highlight. She catches me up on life in Woodland, California, while I regale her with tales from Saint Michael, Minnesota. She’s promised to send me a vegetable soup recipe that can be served hot or at room temperature—perfect for someone like me, who occasionally forgets about lunch until it's cold anyway.

We always talk books and shows, and since Eleanor is a devoted Louise Penny and BritBox fan, she’s my personal curator of “the good stuff.” I say she has excellent taste because, without fail, I end up loving her recommendations—once I finally get around to them.

Today, we even dipped a toe into politics, miraculously without a single spark flying. Given our differing worldviews, that’s no small feat. But Eleanor believes, as I do, that we can disagree without being disagreeable—a radical notion in today’s climate. It’s refreshing when a conversation can be thoughtful instead of a full-contact sport.

Now, I’m off to help Charlotte with her Girl Scout cookie booth at our local Cub grocery store. A day filled with good conversation, future book binge lists, and now a little quality time with my favorite Girl Scout? A terrific cap to my day.