the news

Yesterday morning, we heard some horrible news as we were waking up. Even though we had mentally prepared for such news, hearing it was still horrible.
Denial clouded my brain as I struggled to wake up and realize this wasn't a dream.
Depression kept me stuck in bed, cowering under the covers.
Anger ripped through me as my head woke up, and my rage fueled me into action.
Soon, we were packed and ready to go home.
There was nothing we could do, nothing we could say, that would change the news or make the blow any better, but we felt like we had to be there.
ok, so we were planning our trip home anyway, but now it felt like we were going home for a funeral. Denial, depression, anger, and finally, action. The grief process. I felt ashamed to react this way to news that wasn't the death of someone I loved. But it did feel like someone, something had died at least.
It was the death of a dream.
For 3 generations, the US auto industry has fueled dreams in Michigan. Blue collar, white collar, pink collar, and service industries in the state are directly tied to the auto industry. Those of us who don't work directly for automakers or suppliers have someone in our family who does or work to serve those who do. Autoworkers pay taxes for roads and schools and libraries and prisons and welfare, their insurance pays for doctors and hospitals, their offerings pay for churches and charities, their salaries pay for flights and vacations and houses and haircuts and parties and college tuition. There is not a single person in MI who will not lose money this year. We all lost something today.
When the senate decided not to help us, it was the death of a dream.
Our dream.
The American Dream.
The Michigan Dream.
We're living a nightmare.