By Robert Dean
For the Carter County Times
As my nine-year-old ran around the soccer pitch this morning, the shouts of the parents were a mixture of Chinese, Spanish, Spanglish, and some standard-issue white guy hollering. The cavalcade of yells for their kids to strike the ball into the net served the same purpose: we’re all here to win, to see these boys develop into something better than we are. The world is complicated right now. Trying to climb out of the six-foot grave of the news feels impossible. It’s appropriate to sit in the garage, open a Miller Lite, and let the heaviness wash over you, because it usually feels like there’s no respite. And that’s OK. It’s OK to be tired, and wanting something more than gloom is OK. It’s felt like a long 2025; we’re only in month three. Egg prices aren’t coming down, and neither is gas.
It feels like leaving the house costs $20, and the unemployment rate is climbing faster than the anticipation part of a thrill ride. It’s not thrilling.
So, who could blame you if you need an extra minute in the car, staring into the void before you clock into work? Or if the glass of merlot is a little fuller than usual? People on both sides of the aisle are feeling the squeeze of life. Nothing feels normal. We’re all in a cocktail shaker—meaner, warier, keeping to our own lane.
The culture wars continue by blaming DEI initiatives as a convenient scapegoat while healthcare costs are still stratospheric. I still owe $700 for an ER visit to monitor my blood pressure. The idea of being “working homeless” is all too close to reality. Only the people down in the ashes can rebuild.
The cigarette breaks feel longer. The videos of puppies playing make the heart feel a little lighter.
We need that.
You’re not crazy, and you’re not weak. The world is hard right now. The news cycle is relentless; it feels like we’re swimming in circles, and life costs more and gives less. I look at my bank account at least three times a day to keep track of what’s hit, what I know is coming, and if stopping for snacks will equal an empty gas tank.
Not everything is fixable. There’s so much pressure to be informed, have an opinion, and be ready to talk about it. And that’s not counting being present for your family, friends, and community. No one can carry all that weight all the time. Everyone’s got a cousin or a sibling who has enough drama for two of you. Some days, getting through the day is a win enough, so enjoy that extra-long shower.
24-hour news cycles are meant to exhaust you. They profit from outrage. Panic is their product. The more you rage, the more they profit. You’re the one sitting through yet another commercial for a hard-on pill with enough side effects to kill a rhino.
Put your phone on mute. Say “no thanks” to the doom of the television’s glare. Not every battle is yours. If you’ve got that little piece of heaven, grab a cup of coffee and let the sound of nature heal you. A good hot dog matters. Our humanity isn’t for sale. You’re not going to fix immigration, and you aren’t going to be on a podium arguing against a rival tomorrow, either.
Call your mom. Say hey to an old friend. Lay on the floor for an extra five with your dog. You’re doing your best, and that’s good enough.
