My wife and I took a long-overdue vacation this week on a cruise to Alaska. While we were opened to the beauty of our 49th state, we met some new friends who are opening our eyes to the global community of unhappy citizens.
On Monday, while whale-watching in Juneau (and we saw a “ton” of whales), we met Elliot and Jewel from Edmonton, Canada. They mentioned our upcoming election and told us about their election in October. They are hoping for a major governmental overhaul. Then they told us about what they described as the horrible economic situation in Canada: inflation, housing, declining quality of health care, taxes, etc. It sounded all too familiar to me.
Later that day, we took the bus to the Mendenhall Glacier, we took a walk to Nugget Falls. While taking pictures of the falls (which were magnificent), a nice couple, Terry and Beth, offered to take a picture for my wife and me, leaning on a rock at the base of the falls. I asked where they were from. They were from a town about an hour north of London, and they were on a different cruise. Too bad, I would have loved to spend an evening with them talking about the UK and enjoying that lovely English accent. We spent time walking the path back to the visitor’s center. Along the way, Terry shared that he was frustrated with the prospects of the future and how getting ahead in the UK is harder these days because of governmental policies for small business. I didn’t go into the specifics with Terry, but I felt his pain.
On Tuesday, we met Robert and Angela from Nashville, TN on the bus to explore the Yukon. Robert spent 17 years in the Navy and then transitioned to physical therapy career. Robert is 63 and admitted that he won’t be able to retire anytime soon, maybe having to work into his 70s. He said that he was worried about for the future for his grandkids with what is going on here in the United States with all of the debt, inflation, and the overall political tensions. I have said the same thing many times to many people.
On Wednesday, we cruised Glacier Bay and we huddled up with lots of folks in the 37 degree rainy weather to view the glacier and the majesty of it all. Many conversations lead to the political issues today, especially immigration. Afterward, I had time to reflect on the people on we met and the conversations we had. I don’t know which side of the fence they sit politically, which political party they supported. But I do know that many people in many different countries are nervous, concerned and unhappy with what is going on. I also think that 100 years ago, a lot of the same conversations were taking place. I also think that 100 years from now, a lot of the same conversations will be taking place.
People are adapted beings; they adjust to circumstances. As long as we have the individual freedoms we enjoy in the US, UK and Canada, I think that will be alright. Let’s keep in mind that what they politicians promise us, that they actually protect those individual freedoms guaranteed to us.
