Moving Beyond “Losing”

Now that I have my first post out of the way, I was really expecting to come back with something potent…something unique…something that might even be worthy of high oratory stature!  It is not my desire to solely use this blog as a diving board for theological or scriptural musings.  I want to really explore a variety of topics and ideas that are both well known and lesser known.  But this?  I have even surprised myself.  My guess is most of you are wondering, WHY is he using Hillary’s campaign logo as the featured image?  Here.  I’ll let you in on it.

Without acknowledging who all I voted for in the 2016 general election (believe me, if you assume who I voted for you are probably wrong!), I will say that I was not fond of most options given, presidential and non-presidential.  Secretary Clinton stands out as unique to me though because she has a rich history of negativity from my “growing up” years, reaching back to when she was campaigning alongside her husband for the presidency against George H.W. Bush.  Growing up in an ultra-conservative environment, I was pretty much taught that those OUTSIDE of our cultural bubble were wrong and evil.  It is with great joy that I relieve your concern by stating that I have learned otherwise:  My disagreeing with you politically does not make this an I’m good & you’re evil disagreement.

Now, back to why I am writing this.  My UNcommon perspective during the general election process was to try and find ways I might learn something from each candidate.  Even as I watched my social media feeds filled by a plethora of alternating Democrat/Republican jargon, I knew that joining with either side would only cause me to lose friends and credibility.  TODAY, I can say I have re-learned a quality lesson from Secretary Clinton about moving beyond “losing.”  In spite of the hurtful process that both candidates have endured and the certain pain of watching her political career likely draw to a close, she has agreed to attend President-elect Trump’s inauguration (see http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38501906).

I can hear your voices now in response!  If you’re a “democrat” you’re probably saying, Well yeah, why are you surprised?  She’s a class act!  If you’re a “republican” you’re probably saying, At least she has made ONE classy choice.  Here’s the thing:  I do not like losing, and I am assuming that you probably do not like to lose either.  It is one thing to miss out on the reward of your efforts and a completely different thing to react well in spite of what you have missed out on.  Missing out on a promotion is different from congratulating the one who gained the promotion over you.  Losing a bid is different from wishing the winning bidder “good luck”on his or her endeavor.  Conceding your anticipated ownership and turning it into promoting another’s ownership is no easy challenge.  It’s hard!  Yet, Secretary Clinton has my thanks for reminding me of this lesson about moving beyond losing.

Is she going to revel in the moments of praise for our newly elected President?  I doubt it.  Will she admit excitement for his upcoming term?  No.  Would it be a stretch to say that this gesture is a political move?  Not necessarily, she is after all a politician.  But to say that this gesture is meaningless and not a part of moving beyond losing would be a terrible lie worse than that of a politician.  I watched her concession speech and was moved by the words leaving her quivering lips that also showed a hint of tension and frustration.  Make no mistake!  She is teaching us about moving beyond losing with this gesture that will likely be followed by the fading of her political career.  Frankly, I needed her to do this today.

Come to think of it now, I am not sure I would have come up with a more potent, unique, or meaningful way to follow up my first post.  I encourage you to take the UNcommon perspective and try to learn from those you agree with and disagree with.  It is a humbling task worth taking up!  Because of it, I am sitting here now even more grateful, because in this case she did not “lose.”