in the time of humiliating defeat

I'm tired of living on hope.  out here on the rim we made history by forcing a recall election of scott walker, only the third time in american history, and then put up against him the same guy who was trounced by him two years ago and who was now trounced by him again, only by a larger margin.  depressing doesn't begin to cover how some of us feel.

it's gutwrenching to see this happen, to have our hopes, which are all we have, really, dashed so completely and irrevocably, to have to watch the opposing team, carried to victory, dance in the end zone and then rub our faces in it.  that, of course, is politics, but it's depressing to no end.  and disheartening.  and humiliating.

in the midst of all this, as I sat and watched the returns and got further and further into a funk, my dog who is nearly always nervous and afraid came in and lept onto the couch with me, then leaned against me until she was folded on my lap and compressed against my chest like she was a blade and I was the handlecover she was melded to.  I petted her, saying "you really do count on me, don't you?"  her respoonse was a soft, thick thump of her tail.  her eyes closed and she fell into a deep sleep, trusting that I would keep her from sliding off me.

this, in the midst of all the rest, is what we must do.  we must hug and hold one another and be equal to the trust of our dogs.