Dorie Morgan’s Rising Up

Safe and Comfortable is not enough

October 1, 2008

Posted in: choices, politics, reflecting on self

While I was making dinner last night, a young woman came to the door to talk about our voting choices. My father in law may have gotten to the woman first because I may have a habit of hassling the kids that go door to door on a campaign and it may make my family uncomfortable. No one else seems to be as entertained by it as I am. (My favorite question involves Gen-Y, student loans and what will whatever politician do to earn my vote.)

My f-i-l has a brief conversation with the girl. She had to have been 19 or 20. She had that “I’m a college kid and I can change the world” level of excitement, which I love. I wish we all had that level of excitement in our daily lives. But is excitement enough?

She was campaigning for Barack Obama in a predominantly white, suburban neighborhood (there are only two African American families on our street which is kind of impressive because most houses on the street are owned by the original owners). Her accent and use of language implied that she probably did not grow up in the best Philadelphia neighborhood. She was an African American. She had a look on her face that said “I work hard for everything I’ve got and I’m proud of where I am going”.

She was also dressed as if the moment she got done walking through the neighborhood, she was going to the clubs, not the burbs.

This was not the face I expected in the neighborhood. Usually our door to door campaign kids are dressed like they are headed to the office. And they usually come in pairs and are smiley – not passionate.

This girl had all of this enthusiasm which was inspiring and amazing to see. I might not be a huge fan of Obama but his ability to excite people is something I really respect. She conveyed his message with passion and commitment.

But I couldn’t help but wonder about the package that message came in.

Could the message be hidden by the form that it was delivered in? Would my 90 year old neighbor across the street want to open the door? Then again, my 90 year old neighbor doesn’t even open her front door for girl scouts selling cookies.

This isn’t just politics. This is everyday life.

I once heard a sermon that Jesus has become a safe package for us to accept salvation (I cannot remember for the life of me who I heard it from so if you recall, let me know). But Jesus wasn’t a safe package to accept two thousand years ago. Two thousand years ago, salvation in the form of Jesus was pretty radical concept. It wasn’t safe and it wasn’t comfortable but it did change the world. Regardless of your religious beliefs, Jesus changed the world you live in.

Things or people that change the world are rarely safe and comfortable. But people who get hired usually are comfortable. They make the interviewer feel comfortable with the decision to hire. If you aren’t safe and comfortable, you have to be so brilliant it hurts to be hired but even then, you’ll probably be an entrepreneur and make your own terms.

Safe and comfortable also helps when you want to get married or when you want to be part of a long term relationship. Part of why I married Brian was that he made me feel safe. And having that safety in my marriage makes it easier to not be safe in my other life decisions. It is easier to be bodacious by day when there is a comfortable harbor to return to at night.

From where I am sitting today, it seems as if our next president needs to be safe enough to make us feel comfortable with our decision but still have the courage to make changes. It isn’t enough to change the world and it isn’t enough to just give warm, fuzzy feelings to the voters.

I didn’t get to talk to the dressed up campaign worker. I could only overhear what was said. But when she left our house, she left me thinking.

Navigating Twenty-Something Suburban Life

Safe and Comfortable is not enough

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