My daughters vs. Donald Trump.

Like virtually every reasonable person in the civilized world, I am terrified about the results of America's recent Presidential election and the country's headlong dive into cheap banana-republic-hood.

I'm terrified that a "man who can be baited by a tweet now has his finger on the nuclear trigger."

I'm terrified by more things than I have assignments hanging over my head at work.

But, I am hopeful.

I'm hopeful and thankful.

Mostly because there is only one Donald Trump, but I have two amazing daughters who will, slowly and inexorably, defeat him and the Dark Age he ushers in with him.

Hannah, my youngest, will fight his climate denial one reef at a time. While Trump's Mar-a-Lago sinks into the ever-encroaching seas, Hannah will be healing a sick planet. She will be rescuing sea creatures, repairing the world, and, mostly, teaching love of the earth.

She and her like cannot be defeated. There are too many of them. And they are too smart, too passionate, too driven and, even, too funny and resilient to be thwarted.

The same holds true for Sarah, my oldest, the holder of a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. She betters an ill world one patient, one family at a time. Making the world healthier, happier and hardier every day. 

You cannot keep her down. She pops back up and comes out punching.

My daughters and billions like them will not go gentle into Trump's bad night.

They will rage rage against the dying of the light.

I am scared of Trump. I am angry at our country. I am fearful of our future and that of the world.

But I see my daughters, and yes, I have hope.

That is what, among all the blessings I've had bestowed upon me and all the blessings I have earned for myself through my almost 59 years, I am thankful for this gloomy, bigoted, misogynistic year.
--
I'm just a copywriter. I don't have the income to make giant donations to important causes. I don't have the personal stamina to devote thousands of hours volunteering. I give too much to work to do that.

But with my wife, I have educated my daughters. I have helped cultivate their intelligence, their drive, their humor and their utter irrepressible-ness.

That has been my contribution. For that I am thankful.

-
BTW, this morning, I was waiting for a car to take me to work. Waiting across the street from Central Park.

I saw this tree. This too, I am thankful for.

Then in the deli, picking up my coffee, I saw this "Daily News" cover. This too, I am thankful for.