Trust the Process

Many years ago I learned an important lesson. I was a member of a church long range planning committee. Our group came up with what we thought was an outstanding idea--start a child daycare center. The congregation had to vote its approval for the center to become a reality.

The issue was highly contentious with strongly-held views expressed on both sides. In the end the congregation voted the idea down. I was not a happy camper and entertained thoughts of how to circumvent the congregation. That's when Jack, the committee chair and prominent attorney with a national law firm, pulled me aside. He quietly counseled me to "trust the process." Over time, he said, despite ups and downs, it has been proven that the process works. Subsequent events, not necessary to recount here, showed that he was right.

I have never understood the enormous disrespect many people have demonstrated toward President Bush. I do understand that there are differences of opinion and that one can be passionately against positions taken by another. But to heap ridicule and scorn upon those we don't agree with, as many have done with respect to President Bush, serves only to deepen differences and conflict.

I did not vote for Barack Obama for president. But he is now president-elect, which means that on January 20, 2009, he will become my president. He thus deserves my respect. He shall have it.

It was heartening to see today's Wall Street Journal quote blogger and law professor Glenn Reynolds. On election day he wrote the following at Forbes.com: "'I thought it was wrong when Bush supporters in 1992 slapped "Don't Blame Me, I Voted for Bush" stickers on their cars before Clinton was sworn in...I'm not an Obama fan, particularly, but a lot of people I like and respect are. To treat Obama as something evil or subhuman would not only be disrespectful toward Obama, but toward them. Instead, I hope that if Obama is elected, their assessment of his strengths will turn out to be right, and mine will turn out to be wrong.'"

Jack has since passed away. But I feel as though he were standing next to me today, advising me to "trust the process."