One of my favorite authors is Rachel Naomi Remen. I first discovered her in Bill Moyer’s “Healing and the Mind.” Rachel Naomi Remen talks about 4 steps: “showing up, paying attention, telling the truth and letting go of the results.” Wise woman.

I don’t think people in local politics have a problem “showing up, paying attention and telling the truth.” Now I may not think they are paying attention to the right sort of things. And I may not like their version of telling the truth, but it’s their “truth” and their own particular way of “paying attention.”

What I think is hardest in local politics (and maybe this is true of state and national politics, I don’t know) is “letting go of the results.”

It felt hollow as a “progressive” when Donna Holaday lost the mayoral election. And for the first time I could really identify with the “old boys” (I still haven’t come up with a better phrase) losing to Lisa Mead way back in the 90’s. It must have felt awful. It must have felt as if the city they loved was in serious jeopardy. I really, really get that now.

As a progressive it feels as if the future of Newburyport is in jeopardy and I am helpless to do anything about it. Now that may or may not be the case, the jeopardy and the helpless part. And I have choices, I can focus on other things, I can give up, I can stop caring, I can become angry and bitter or I can try and figure out something constructive to do about it.

Jim Roy started a column in the Newburyport Current. He has a “voice.” I guess starting the Newburyport Political Blog is a way for me not to feel so hollow and to try not to become politically angry and bitter. Because I do care (and so do a whole lot of other people), I care a whole lot.

Mary Eaton, Newburyport