As I finished penning and publishing my latest piece only moments ago, “Where My Heart Goes: Remembering 9/11 in A World Gone Mad“, I was reminded of another piece from the vault…
One I did not write.
This piece was penned as an email by my dearly beloved Mother on November 7, 2012.
At that time, our guy did not win the election, and everyone was very despondent.
There was a real sense amongst everybody that there was major trouble ahead…and we were not wrong.
A guy had won the election who had lied about an attack on our Embassy in Benghazi, Libya nearly two months before on September 11, 2012…exactly 11 years after the initial 9/11 attacks.
My Federal Cop Father had dealt with this same guy’s duplicity overseas for 3 1/2 years in Mexico, under conditions very similar to the ambush in Benghazi, and it was clear the duplicity was about to get a whole lot worse.
For those of us living in Stafford, VA…in the shadow of the Pentagon and right outside the steps of the Marine Corps base at Quantico…we knew that trouble was brewing.
I don’t think any of us truly knew how right we would be.
After my dearly beloved Mother, my best friend and mentor, died on January 22, 2022, I was reminded of this email by good friend and old Debate Coach, who is always known for wearing a Pleather Jacket.
He told me:
“I still read your Mom’s email from 2012”, he told me after she died, and he sent it to me.
I thought about it today, listening to America the Beautiful by Ray Charles, and cried in my chair.
I often think about what my Mom would say if she were hear today, and I miss her very dearly.
Well, here’s my wish. This is what she would say today.
For what it’s worth, I come out looking pretty good in this piece. However, I’ve broken down a time or two since then, and my brother Harrison has done pretty well for himself.
But I figured that if my hero, James Bond Stockdale broke down a time or two and still got back up, well then I can get back up again too.
So here’s to Mom, and here’s to James Bond Stockdale.
Without futher ado, I give you…
Looks Like We Lost…
By Maria Barrett
2012 AD
Well, I am sure you were like us last night when they called the race. Sad, dejected, a little scared maybe even angry. As some of you know, Richard worked the Republican campaign this fall. He was definitely not happy. So where do we go from here?
I was glad to see the light this morning when I woke up. Metaphorically and literally! Looks like God is keeping his running of the world in place. (It was cloudy though!) And as I lay in bed, dreading getting up to read the news, I really started thinking about how to move on.
1. God is sovereign. Our country might be divided in half, but his laws, morals and commands remain the same.
2. God has a plan. The Bible tells us he puts and removes the rulers. I don’t agree that he kept this one, but I do know he has a reason for it.
3. God does test us. Two states added a new way to marry (contrary to the Bible). Two states made recreational pot use legal. I don’t even begin to know what other things passed that don’t follow his laws. BUT, we are his people and we are still called to do what is commanded, even if it is legal and permissible to do the opposite.
So, there are my thoughts. I just really needed to talk to myself, but maybe you needed this too. Maybe your kids do. I was proud of Richard last night. He had to keep it together because Harrison was falling apart. So I too will not allow myself to be swayed by the doom and gloom of the media. I will hold my head high, remain in constant prayer and be an example to my kids of what is STILL and ALWAYS will be RIGHT. God doesn’t ask more than that.
So lets raise up Daniel’s, Joshua’s, Gideon’s and Queen Esther’s. We can and will make it through this test.
God bless you and God bless America.
Sincerely,
Maria Barrett
Follower of Christ
Wife, Mother and Friend
PULP FICTION RENAISSANCE 