SenatorStress

Ya think? You represent millions of people and you have to be fair. You need to say no to powerful people. You have to be nice to people you really don't like. You work and then you work some more. Everything you do and have ever done is available for the entire world to see, hear, read, watch and judge. And mock. Your more deeply held beliefs will be challenged by people bigger and smarter than you. Your marriage will suffer. Your children will be the victims or proud recipients of unasked for scrutiny. Your life may be in danger and you must go to dangerous places. You have to make speeches and make no mistakes, be convincing and genuine, and never allow media to capture one of your phrases out of context. You must have magnificent hair and be the butt of late night talk show host jokes. You have to console grieving families. You have to find enough money to pay for the hundreds of thousands of soldiers who are risking their lives for our country. You have to keep state secrets and still be seen as trustworthy, open and honest. You have to stand up for your beliefs even though your constituency elected you by a slim 50 vote margin.

And the money, the fame, and the power pale in comparison to the sense of a life well-lived. Stress is your energy drink.