Our Winter’s Discontent — By John Reed

Our Winter’s Discontent
The thin green rime on my windshield is yet another reminder that Spring is nearly here. Soon my sinus cavities will confirm the avalanche of pollen that’s on the way.
I think most folks will agree this has been one of the toughest winters in decades, and I don’t mean the weather. Still, the buds on my fruit trees are a reminder of time’s inevitability.
Just as inevitable as the blame/credit game in Washington. History is written by the victors (just ask any Southerner), so we naturally see all things bad blamed on the previous administration and credit taken by the new one for anything good. This is normal, inevitable. The last one did it too, so will the one after this.
There’s something about springtime that encourages optimism. The very earth itself is reborn, full of potential. People look forward to better times ahead.
But not everyone. Somewhere, there are people dwelling in the past, unable to grow through whatever wintertime has locked their pathetic souls into discontent.
Have you ever seen one of these people smile? When I watch news coverage of folks who cannot find anything good to say about the country, they’re always angry, always frowning. What a joy they must be at home.
I think what annoyed those people the most over the last four years was how their arrogance, pessimism, and hypocrisy have been laid bare. No amount of looking back will change that.
Sure, the former president was a narcissist, a bully, and burned his bridges with napalm. Arguably it took someone like that to break through the Washington logjam. The current president is a nice enough guy, but I wonder if he has the strength of character to keep pushing into the future, against the angry ones stuck in the past.
Still, time marches on. I remain optimistic. We will recover from the pandemic, stronger, smarter, better. Some changes will be permanent. Some changes were needed anyway.
And despite the naysayers, our best times are ahead.