Thursday, April 13, 2017

Mending Fences

Having spent the morning repairing fences on our Littleton farm, the term "mending fences" kept coming to mind, especially as it pertains to human relationships.  Of course, I couldn't help but think of President Trump; having spent his campaign ridiculing leaders and citizens across the globe, he must now spend most of his time mending fences.

We humans, social creatures that we are, may offend spouses, family members, neighbors, co-workers or close friends with hasty, thoughtless remarks and must then apologize for those comments.  While most of these offenses are relatively minor, some may lead to dire consequences if not acknowledged and handled promptly (just ask the CEO of United Airlines).

Our ability to "mend fences" will depend on our sincerity and on whether we have earned the respect and trust of those we offend.  Frequent misbehavior erodes the latter and often destroys relationships.  In Trump's case, his impulsive and offensive Tweets may cement the fate of his Presidency, abolishing his effectiveness both at home and abroad.