The Best Laid Plans...Often Go Awry

So, we're coming around the bend of September. Hard to believe, really. 

The last nine months have basically been a blur. I've been running a local mayoral campaign. Before that I had been managing that same municipal leader's digital media, and before that I had helped run his 2013 city council campaign, so this was basically a continuation. On Red Bull. 

Suffice it to say,  I've been busy.  For the past two and a half years.  This is the first weekend that I've had absolutely nothing to do. And when I mean nothing, I mean zippo, zilch, zero.  Its been wonderful and weird all at the same time. Been there before? I found myself getting a bit bored. 

Early in the week I was the most exhausted that I have ever been in my entire life. I thought I'd be sleeping all weekend long. Didn't happen. So much for the best laid plans. Guess that means I'm caught up on my sleep? Let's hope so. 

Although my body may feel as if its caught up on sleep, my heart feels as if its grieving. Ever been there? Where the body and the mind contradict each other. 

A friend told me the other day to allow myself to grieve.  Grieve, you ask? Yes.  I put my heart and soul into the campaigns for Mr. Barnes. Believed in him without a shadow of a doubt. He loves the Lord. He lives his life and conducts himself with the highest degree of integrity, and seeks to leave a city that will benefit not only his family but every family in the city.  I knew he had a future as a public servant. 

I have great passion for politics & government, but no tolerance for the nasty sort of 'politics' that we normally see; the partisan people out for their own agenda, or those people who pander for votes, saying things just to sound acceptable to every group they encounter; but leaders who use their power for good and not evil. 

Mr. Barnes is different. There's no partisan bone in his body. He and I shared the same opinion about politics. It was the greatest work of my life. Had no doubts. Whatsoever. So, I took this one pretty hard. He's a good guy. And a great leader.

I am 'grieving' because Mr. Barnes lost the election. Rather unexpectedly. Stunned is probably the best word to describe how our team felt. None of us even fathomed this outcome. 

There was no Plan B.

We knew we had the strongest candidate in the race, with the greatest qualifications. Trusted.Genuine. Focused. Forward-thinking. 

Determined to bring opportunity to the entire city, because he had proven his ability as a district representative and an at-large council member. Quantifiable results. Didn't mean a thing, apparently. Or, it did, and fear was stronger. I believe there is a deeper meaning to the results. I may not understand them now. Maybe I'm not supposed to. God's got it all under control. And its ok to grieve. Because it was a valuable experience and it left an indelible mark on my life.

So here we are. 

We may see stoplights. But, "blue skies, smilin' at me, nothin' but blue skies do I see....Blue days, all of them gone,  Nothin' but blue skies from now on."