Past the Point of No Return.

I really wonder if we, as such a divided nation now, are past the point of no return. I absolutely love “Phantom of the Opera.” It’s one of my all time favorite musicals. In it, the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber is beautiful and haunting. One of the most dramatic songs comes at the end of the play and it is about reaching the point of no return. Some of the words are:

You have come here

In pursuit of your deepest urge.

I have brought you here

That our passions may fuse and merge.

In your mind you’ve have already succumbed to me,

Dropped all defenses, completely succumbed to me.

No second thoughts.

You have decided. Decided.

Past the point of no return.

No going back now.

Past all thoughts of right and wrong.

When will the blood begin to race?

The sleeping bud burst into bloom?

When will the flames at last consume us?

We are…

Past the point of no return.

Ok. The song is sung by the Phantom as his one last emotional moment telling of his desire to be with Christine. The Phantom is beside himself. He is crying. He is lost. But, as I listen to these words I wonder if we too have lost all our thoughts of right and wrong. We no longer allow ourselves to have second thoughts. No ability to change anymore. Are we past the point of no return?

It’s pretty depressing.

Truth has become really hard to find. Real truth. Facts. We have reached that moment of living in a time when nothing can be for sure. Our urges to win, our desires to be more powerful, to have it our way, have sent us down a road that we can’t stop traveling down. There seems to be no turning around. No pause even.

My last Marla’s Musing I spoke of how my heart hurt because we are in a place where even last Saturday’s tragic event, the assassination attempt, has become political, divided, full of theories, photoshopped pictures, and fake news. Since I wrote it I listened to politicians speak about ending all the dangerous rhetoric because words hurt. Mean words cause anger back. We don’t know if that may have led to the shooting. But maybe. I heard the politicians say it’s time to roll it back. That enough is enough. Right? Well, it lasted for about 24 hours.

We are right back to finger pointing, to blaming others, to creating fake theories, and whatever else that can be done. Low seems to go lower every single day.

So, what happens when we are at the point of no return? Where are we when are emotions always get the best of us? What will happen next? How can we ever agree on anything? Will we ever be able to trust again?

In Phantom of the Opera the love affair ended. The play reached its conclusion. The house lights came up, the audience dried their tears, and they walked out of the theatre together.

But this is real life.

Looking back in history I remind myself that we have been at the edge of the cliff before. We have had people unwilling to bend on slavery and civil rights, or on women’s voting and rights, and even on gun safety. These are life changing (saving) issues. And I am sure back then it felt like there was no turning back, and no way out either. Unfortunately there was bloodshed. But somehow our country moved forward. And, mostly, the right thing finally happened. And so, I hope that during this crazy era of Trump and MAGA and all the fake news and theories, all the lies and so many being fooled, and now finding it difficult to believe anything…. We will not be at a point of no return. Our house lights will come up. People will be exposed. A new morning will start. And, we will move forward.

I pray that our elections can save us.