The Train
The following analogy entitled “The Train” was posted on Facebook by a friend with the notation “Author Unknown”
THE TRAIN:
At birth we boarded the train and met our parents, and we believe they will always travel by our side. As time goes by, other people will board the train; and they will be significant i.e. our siblings, friends, children, strangers and even the love of your life. However, at some station our parents will step down from the train, leaving us on this journey alone. Others will step down over time and leave a permanent vacuum. Some, however, will go so unnoticed that we don't realize they vacated their seats. This train ride will be full of joy, sorrow, fantasy, expectations, hellos, goodbyes, and farewells. Success consists of having a good relationship with all passengers requiring that we give the best of ourselves.
The mystery to everyone is: We do not know at which station we ourselves will step down. So, we must live in the best way, love, forgive, and offer the best of who we are. It is important to do this because when the time comes for us to step down and leave our seat empty, we should leave behind beautiful memories for those who will continue to travel on the train of life. I wish you a joyful journey for the coming years on your train of life. Reap success, give lots of love and be happy. More importantly, thank God for the journey! Lastly, I want to thank you for being one of the passengers on my train!
Another analogy using a train would be to relate the train to our American political journey. The journey began well over 200 years ago. It has passed though periods of progress and achievement as will as trials and tribulations. The journey began with demonstrations like the Boston Tea Party and periods of war, many wars. Indeed, if you are old enough to be reading this article you have been witness to war. Some of the wars were thrust upon us like WWII and some like Viet Nam were of our own making. Through our decisions, we control some the route taken but often the circumstances of our journey, is chosen by others. The conductor controls the train. The American journey has had some incredible conductors. Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves and set us in the direction of equality for all, a destination we have not yet reached. Franklin Roosevelt brought us out of the Great Depression and led us to victory in World War II. John F. Kennedy set us on a destination to the moon and beyond, a work still in progress. The American people selected those leaders, those conductors. We are now at perhaps the most juncture in the history of our American journey. Our current conductor has chosen a route to chaos, isolation and hatred. In a sense, our train, our democracy, is on a path to destruction. If a different path is not chosen our democracy may not survive. Now we are choosing the conductor for next four years. We must choose a conductor that will bring Americans together, to provide all Americans a living wage, will keep us on the track toward equality for all, provide all Americans access to health care, rebuild our international alliances, jump start a failing economy. We need Joe Biden as our conductor for the next 4 years. And we need to provide him with a congress that will support him. Don’t let our American train be derailed.