Toppling Governments

I don't mean to do it. I promise. It just happens. Maybe it's karma.

Back in the 70's and 80's, my parents traveled extensively. They planned all year for the trips that they'd take over the long summers. Once they retired from teaching school, they traveled year round, going any where that interested them.

My brothers and sisters and I watched them go, and watched governments topple in their wake. They'd travel to some South American country, then weeks or months later, there'd be a junta and the government would be overthrown. I joked around that they were CIA operatives. Who would look closely at American tourists schlepping around with backpacks? It happened so often that we worried about them. Countries destabilized whenever they were near. Something might have happened to them. We had to make them check in with us weekly so we'd know they were all right.

In September of last year, I agreed to follow my husband on an international assignment. We were sent to Tunisia. The relocation specialist who took me around to see houses told me that their much loved president, Ben Ali, had been in power for 26 years. Less than three months later, his government has toppled and Tunisians will hold elections in six months to select a new government.

Last week, we went to Dubai. DH had a meeting there and I accompanied him. Today, a friend send me this news... Dubai has unrest.

Now, I'm sitting in London and my friends are begging me not to ruin the British Empire until after the Royal Wedding. I'm not sure I can control my powers to that extent. It seems to happen without any conscious effort on my part.

Perhaps I inherited the ability to affect governments just by my mere presence. It's hard to imagine how that gene is passed down, but it obviously has been handed to me.

I'll keep you posted on my whereabouts so you can track the effect and make your own decision.

--Sandee Wagner