Finding Joy in the Age of Trump

              At the height of last fall’s presidential campaign, a good friend of mine swore that she would move her entire family to Canada if Donald Trump won the election.  She envisioned an unbearable existence in her own country if Trump were to become the president, and viewed Canada, where her husband was born (and still had family living), as an entirely reasonable temporary refuge, if not a permanent new home.

              When I would speak to her about the difficulty of moving her whole family to a new country (she has three school-age children), she acknowledged that it would be difficult.  But she was convinced it would still be the better option, since staying in America would be unbearable.  Of course, at the time of these conversations, we were certainly not expecting to put her vow to the test, as all the polls, right up until Election Day, showed Hillary Clinton with a sizeable lead.

              But Trump did win the election (at least he won the Electoral College version of it), and my friend and I then proceeded to watch the transition news that came out of the Trump Tower, where Trump met with possible cabinet nominees for several weeks.  Early hopes that just perhaps, once elected, the man would rise to the office, were quickly dashed as appointment after appointment (Steve Bannon as chief advisor, a climate-change denier to EPA administrator, Michael Flynn as national security advisor, a former CEO with a history of dealing with Vladimir Putin as secretary of State) was announced. 

              But things only got worse when Mr. Trump took office, as he delivered a scathing attack on his country, saying that it was in a state of “carnage.”  In the days and weeks that followed, it became apparent that he is an alt-right surrogate who seeks to roll back most of the Obama accomplishments in environmental protection, healthcare accessibility, and voting rights.  His early foreign policy moves were no more encouraging, as, in quick succession, he insulted the leaders of Mexico, Australia, and Great Britain, three of the country’s strongest allies. 

              And then came the Muslim, er, travel ban, hastily conceived and implemented, and short-lived as a result.  Michael Flynn lasted all of three weeks before he was fired (albeit the president continued to praise him, blaming the media for the release of information that forced the president to take action).    And the tweets, which had been Trump’s way of promoting his issues and his brand during the campaign, continued to flood the news wires, each one raising more concern about his understanding of the responsibilities of his office, if not his mental health.  The latest one of note, accusing President Obama of illegally wiretapping his Trump Tower campaign office, appears to have been a bald-faced lie (as confirmed this week by FBI Director Comey in his Congressional committee testimony). 

              Add to all of these horrors the growing evidence of collusion by Trump associates with the Russians who attempted to affect the presidential election, and the ill-considered legislative attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare, and everything my friend and I (and many others) feared about a Trump presidency is unfolding right before our eyes in real time and with no end to the devastation in sight. 

              And yet, my friend has not moved to Canada, nor have we talked about that possibility since the election.  Why?  Well, mainly because all of us who fear the worst with this man are finding ways to maintain a positive view of our lives, which is what I find most reassuring after two months of the Trump debacle of a presidency.

              It began the day after Trump’s inauguration with the massive women’s marches in Washington and across the country.  The opposition to Trump and all he represents that was expressed that day could have dissipated in the weeks that followed, but, instead, a new phenomenon has taken hold.  Across the country, vigilance and activism has become fashionable again.  Taking a page from the Tea Party movement from Obama’s first term, a grass-roots movement has begun that seeks to change the attitude of those in power. 

              In Sacramento, an organization calling itself Sacramento Lawyers for Social Justice now exists.  My friend and I are on the board of this fledgling organization, whose mission is simply to assist other individuals and groups in finding legal ways to oppose Trump and his policies, while affirming the desires of all Americans for better government policies and a more responsible president.

              And so activism—joining with others to make your voice heard and to make a difference—is one way to maintain a sense of joy in the age of Trump.  But there are other ways that are equally important, for individual peace of mind and mental health.  Here’s a short list of non-political opportunities that can keep life joyful:

              o Stay in touch with family and friends.  These are people who love us and care about us.  They can lift our spirits or feel our pain.  They can rejuvenate our spirits and make us laugh.

              o Find joy in your work.  Whatever the task or assignment, doing good work is its own reward.  Taking pride in even the smallest task can restore one’s sense of value.

              o Read a good book.  Losing yourself in a great story or discovering something you didn’t previously know or just appreciating the brilliance with which a great writer uses words can put momentary malaise in perspective.

              o Take in good a movie, preferably on a big screen with a tub of popcorn to munch on. 

              o Treat yourself to an ice cream sundae.

              o Get hooked on a TV show.  So much fine work is being done on television, much of it in remarkably crafted series.  My wife and I are currently into the second season of “Billions,” a Showtime series.  And in a few months, HBO’s popular “Game of Thrones” will be back for its seventh, and last, season.  These, and others, are both great escapes and wonderful pleasures (guilty or otherwise).

              o Root for your favorite team or athlete.  Losing yourself in a team’s fortunes, either for one game or over an entire season, is one of the great pastimes for almost everyone.  Rooting for someone other than yourself in a game in which you have no real stake, can be a life-affirming experience.

              o Attend a musical concert or the production of a play.  There is so much great music to be heard and so many wonderful stage productions to view.  These experiences can be ways to relax or to be energized, and both results are joyful.

              o Get/stay in touch with your spirituality.  Whether it be through formal prayer and worship or in quiet moments of meditation, recognizing the spiritual side of our existence can be magical.

              o Help someone in need.  There is great joy in charity.  Giving of yourself to help someone less fortunate is a way to acknowledge the common bond we all have with each other.

              o Work up a sweat.  The natural high that comes from exercise, the kind of exercise that gets your heart rate up and makes you feel the stress of muscles at work, is a great way to get back in touch with how good it is to be alive.

              o Bond with a pet.  Dogs and cats (or whichever other animal you choose to make a family member) add so much to our appreciation of life.

              o Attend to a hobby.  Working at something that you love, just because it’s fun and even though it doesn’t add one dollar to your income, is like the icing on your cake.

              o Fall in love.  Whether it’s with the person you just met or someone you’ve been with for decades, being in love and being aware of that feeling is what makes all things seem possible.

              I can’t promise that doing the things on this list will change the impact the Trump presidency has on our country, but I can guarantee that they will help you to stay joyful.  And you won’t have to move to Canada to do them.