Today I am grateful for teachable moments. Today on FACE THE NATION, Dr. Brix was on speaking to her time under the previous administration. I must admit that I did not have a favorable impression of her but after this, I’ve learned to again remember that there are a million stories out there under the sun and in some way they are all true.

I cannot speak as to how I would have handled this woman’s experience as I have never been in this situation nor would I ever allow myself to be in this position – this I know. I believe her when she says she wanted to help where she could, I believe her when she says that she followed the CDC guidelines of masking and distancing – I don’t think politics would have swayed her especially coming off all her experience with HIV/AIDS. I don’t think she really understood the complete ramifications of her position or even anticipated the fallout. I actually felt bad at the targeted harassment of her and her family especially since they were not looking for this particular spotlight shone on them. She may not have addressed it and may be needs time processing but I do think there is guilt there – of not knowing how to be more vocal in an environment that crushed and diminished contrary women’s voices – the press conferences alone offer some insight to that.

I really believe she wanted to do her best but never thought she would be stymied the way she was. I do feel bad for her – again, not trying to apologize for her but to see it from her POV. At one point she said this was the death nail to her career to which Margaret, the interviewer, seemed taken aback. I too was but have come to realize that many people involved in this past administration are now considered poison because of where their perceived allegiances lay.

So I am grateful for this teachable moment to me, at this person’s expense I guess. I do not take pleasure in that but see it more as a cautionary tale and also a signal at tolerance and trying to look at the bigger picture of where certain paths are taken.

** Thumbnail image from January 24 CBS/FACE THE NATION