“Life’s under no obligation to give us what we expect.”~ Margaret Mitchell from Gone with the Wind.
The ominously memorable line from the Hollywood version of ‘Gone with the Wind’ placed its male protagonist, Rhett Butler in an unforgettable scene. How unthinkable it was that anyone could deliver such a blatantly unsympathetic line to the beautiful, distraught leading lady. Her world had come crashing down in flames as the Civil War burned out the remnants of the Old South leaving her bereft of everything that had made her life what it was. Nothing would be the same from the ruined land to the crumbling values, and the thought that there were people who didn’t care was extraordinary. But we also sided with Rhett as he moved out the door into the devastation that awaited, feeling it was time to move on and start something new.
I have often wondered as I think about that last scene of ‘Gone with the Wind’ how it really felt to be living it, having no idea what would come next and whether or not this country could put itself back together again. The devastation must have seemed insurmountable, much as it does to many of us today. And there were plenty of people my age then who felt a sadness as I do now because they doubted they’d live long enough to see things in the country put right again. How do we take the best of what we have without clinging too long to things we need to get rid of? I’m amazed that the currents of destruction ran through our society over the past ten years and I never really saw them or understood how they’d undermine the integrity of our democracy. But I see them now. Everything we knew has been swept away, gone with the wind, and taking our old way of life with it.
So how do we hold onto the things that are precious while releasing those that proved to be without value. Deciding what to keep and what to throw away will be key to how we come out of this difficult time. And no matter how long it takes to turn around, it still matters that we give a damn. No matter how challenging the future looks, we don’t have to burn our bridges.
How do you feel about burning bridges for change? Please share your thoughts with the Unblocked! Writer
It seems that you are still in the depths of despair. The will of the people is cyclical and in the not too distant future euphoria could be just around the corner for you. Your writing, when positive, is inspiring. Otherwise, not so much. Breathe, smile, we still live in the greatest country on earth.
We need to work a lot harder to get back that status. But optimism is always powerful. Thanks for writing!