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The Work That Ever Ends
The juxtaposition of Trump’s return to power and the commemoration of Dr. King underscores the divisions that define our time.
The Saturday following the presidential election last November, I entered my local spa for a monthly massage, vowing to steer clear of politics. In a nation fractured by ideology, this was meant to be an hour of escape — a reprieve from the noise.
But tranquility has its limits. My massage therapist, a man immersed in alternative media, holds convictions far removed from my own. He believes the government can manipulate the weather with laser beams, that vaccines cause autism, and that America teeters on the edge of moral collapse. Knowing this, I typically redirect our conversations toward neutral ground. Yet, as the country grappled with election results, the inevitable surfaced.
“How’s the relocation project going?” I asked, aiming for small talk.
“We’re replacing six windows,” he said. “Lifetime warranty — they probably weren’t expecting the original owners to still be here.” He chuckled. “I was going to paint the garage ‘Cubby blue.’ Not just blue. Cubby blue.”
We began harmlessly enough. It was small talk at its safest.
“It’s a great time to buy a house now that interest rates have dropped,” I replied.
Then he pivoted. “Yeah, now that Trump’s back, there’s hope again. Did you see how one country pulled out of that agreement? They’re finally standing up. And those caravans at the border? Turned away. No more of this Italian-American or Mexican-American stuff. We’re all just Americans now.”
The world feels heavier now. The divisions run deeper, the stakes seem higher, and the flames of discord burn brighter. Yet, the work remains. The work of striving for a more just and compassionate society. The work of holding onto hope, even when the path forward feels fraught with uncertainty.
I took a deliberate breath, knowing a confrontation was on the horizon. “People are free to identify however they choose,” I said. “Acknowledging cultural heritage doesn’t make someone less American. One identity doesn’t erase the other.”
