It is one of the few things I remember from that early era of my life – half a century ago. On November 7, 1972, early election returns were already showing a clear trend. Although the polls had only been closed for an hour or so in my home state of Montana, Richard Nixon was being re-elected for a second term – in what turned out to be a landslide.  All of my ancient readers will remember that he defeated George McGovern with over 60 percent of the popular vote, losing only in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia.

I don’t remember that night because of who was elected or because of how it changed my nation; I remember it because that night I saw something I had never seen before. My party walked into a diner that night after church. We settled into a booth and immediately noticed a very agitated man in a booth across the room. He seemed to be in a panic and was talking animatedly to someone, and much more loudly than was appropriate. It soon became evident that he was following the election results and was not at all happy. He was lamenting the collapse of America and threatening to leave the country or give up on life. 

At first, we all tried to mind our own business and be compassionate to a man who put a little too much hope in elected leaders. Then someone noticed something strange about the person sitting across the table from the panicked man. Their back was to us but there was something strange about their hat and hair… something not natural. We stole a few more glances until someone discerned that the “person” to whom he was speaking was not moving or talking back. We soon determine he was, in fact a blow-up doll. Not only was the man freaking out about something over which he had no control; he was talking to “someone” who couldn’t even give a care.

Ironically two years later the whole country had changed, as well as the President’s political career.  Nixon went from winning a landslide election to being the only American President ever to resign from office. The USA did not collapse. The Republican party did not overthrow the government. That poor, over-stressed restaurant patron would have been better off realizing that sometimes we just have to ride out the storms of life. Panic is not helpful.

It isn’t aways easy to take the advice, “Don’t panic!” Life has its ups and downs. We can be angry and afraid, or we can embrace it. I have come to believe that life is supposed to be a struggle. No one is perfect. When feeling a bit panicked, I must consider that life cannot be conquered or perfectly navigated. Life’s manufacturer handbook (the Bible) explains that life is full of challenges and is not meant to be lived without the help of a coach…a counselor…a comforter…a Savior. Jesus said it like this: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 nlt) Don’t panic. Just find a spot close to The Good Shepherd.