What 'The West Wing' Taught Me

I have done it. I have made it through seven, 22-episode seasons of one of the best television shows ever made.

Two, four-year terms of the Bartlett Administration are in the books. The president contracted MS. The actor that played Chief of Staff Leo McGarry died during the filming of Season 7, thus changing the arc of the show, I am sure. Charley came up from almost nothing, dated the president's daughter, then got early-admission to law school.

And somehow, I survived, relatively unscathed.

I have learned some other things:

• I thought I had already seen all the seasons. Not so. There is much I missed in the last three years. 
• The horrible effects of MS appear to peak then diminish as ones presidential terms come to an end. Probably for dramatic impact, maybe. 
• Apparently, being selfish, self-centered, unable to manage personal relationships, and being a completely ego-maniacal spoiled brat is not an impediment to success, even advancement, in the White House. Oh, wait... 
• Also apparent is the decisional conflict one has to make at the end of eight years between two more years helping an inexperienced president's staff learn their ropes or heading up a $10 billion fund to pave roads in Africa to facilitate getting life-saving medicine and food to starving people. (P.S. That would be after already having spent eight long, tough years in the White House, after having been plucked from obscurity and moving on up to become the Chief of Staff to the president. 
• And the last thing I learned was this: when they left for the last time, not once did POTUS or anyone in his family thank their Secret Service detail for SAVING THEIR LIVES. I hope real presidential families are not like that. 

It is now on to other endeavors for me.