Bob Dylan and Jerry Maguire

[Ed.'s note-- This post was contributed by Rock the Trail Reporter Donny Lumpkins]

Today I was thinking about something I heard Bob Dylan say in a interview. Well, I think that he said it- or maybe some one said it about him. In any case what was said was “you cant be smart and in love at the same time.” The quote has stuck with me since the age of 17. Recently, due to a relationship I had and was “smart” in and with my current love/hate/snooze relationship with the upcoming presidential election, the words of the great Bob Dylan -or who ever said it- (I just wanted to name drop. Shout out to my homie Bob Dylan. ) have been bouncing themselves from corner to corner around my mind like an old screen saver on a clunky desktop monitor.

What I came up with is that regardless of whether it is choosing a relationship to be in or picking a candidate to believe in, the motives and aspirations behind both decisions are very much the same. You're hoping that the person you choose will make your life better. You’re hoping that that person will keep their word and not lie to you. You hope that that person will be better than the one before them and not betray your trust or break your heart.

And most of all you hope that person will be there for you for better or for war, in sickness and in health care, till death or final term do you part.

Now, when I think of the ‘you can't be in love and smart’ thing I can’t help but think of it in political terms. If I had a dollar for every time I fell for the pretty popular girl before I really knew who she was only to regret it in the end; well, I won’t say I would be rich but I would be hood rich. Needless to say basing your opinion on looks alone will work just about as well as a condom with a safe sex pamphlet stapled to it. Looks can be deceiving, and so can the looks of politicians.

Politics, like relationships, are about results. Everyone talks a big game, but when it comes down to it we are all looking for some one who is ‘gonna deliver- right? It’s all good if a person/candidate has you at hello but remember to be smart and save your love till they show you the money(aka the results you trusted them to yield). Then it’s perfectly “ok” to pack up the little gold fish in a zip lock bag, leave smart behind, and follow your love/candidate whole heartedly until the credits role. (Jerry Maguire metaphor?! OOOHHH YEEAAA!!!)

DonnY like Hathaway NOT like Darko-