The State of the People is sorely neglected in both bad times and good. The State of the People is what drives this world. It is boundary-free, and is governed only by that which they deem to be important to themselves and their immediate family members. There are no party lines, no doctrines, save those of humanity and integrity.
Therefore, in the interest of just "us folks", I am instituting this feature forthwith. Expect no cheering supporters bolstering the delivery of this State address. It comes from "everyman" and "everywoman", and there is no special room, equipped with cameras and commentary to deliver it's message.
The State of the People is concerned, and somewhat distracted. World events notwithstanding, the State of the People is such that their basic needs rarely change. They are concerned with ensuring a continuous, uninterrupted supply of food, for their children, and gasoline to allow their transportation to and from work, and to get those kids to their activities and play dates.
The People are resilient. They are resilient even in the face of sleep deprivation from colicky and teething babies, and children waking in the night with fevers and nightmares and the bogeyman in their closets. They rise every day and hustle to get to work, after delivering said children to sitters and schools, to programs and Grandmas.
The People embrace routine- and the challenge of its continuance.
If you fire them, or close the plant they have toiled at for years, they press on relentlessly pursuing other work.
The People want to be able to keep the hard-won fruits of their labors. They have dreams that will not be quashed. They will not be deterred.
The State of the People is one of persistence. It is one that understands responsibility and priorities and seeks to impart these to their children. The People know that times will be good, and not. They know that a lot of what dictates their lives is mostly without their input, knowledge or consent.
Still the People are strong. They rise at dawn and care for aging parents; they hold dear those that they love and protect them with their lives if necessary.
The People highly value a hug, a pat on the back, a smile, and the TRUTH. They seek to reinforce their faith through worship. They rely on friends and family and support one another, through crisis and joy.
The People ask for little, yet give their lives over to the pursuit of these small things. They seek a better life for their children and embrace love, and peace on their life's road.
The People cannot spend their days debating the quantity of weapons that one country has and another does not. They are too busy getting the food on the table and their dog to the Vet, and paying their mortgages, and getting their cars repaired.
They might wonder why their taxes are so high, but that thought is fleeting in the face of getting their returns done and filed.
The People are concerned - with their son's illness, and their daughter's broken heart. They are concerned with having enough money to enjoy a vacation, without having to forego Christmas. They are concerned with their aging and disabled family members, and their care. They hope they have health insurance that provides for their needs.
If the essential needs for their continued health and happiness are interrupted, or removed, the state of anything else is moot.
It is a lot more important, and sadly ignored all too often, to remember who really runs a country, and that the contributions to that community, state, and country come from every single PERSON in that country.
It is the PEOPLE and the satisfaction of their immediate needs that enables any Leader the ability to make any choices whatsoever. Because an order given, that runs contrary to the needs of the one, might just be ignored by the many.
The People will prevail. They will go on because they know no other way.
The State of the People is such that they ask for little, and give their all.
Perhaps asking a little louder for Respect, and for a lighter load, for equality and opportunity for all should be on the upcoming Agenda for the People. They really ask for little else.