Keeping it together ...
but not alone
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Sixty-seven percent of voters in this country DID NOT vote for him. That's because 36.4% didn't vote at all. This sad fact is one I keep reminding myself of because I can believe that more than half of the people in this country will resist what looks like an encroaching tidal wave of hate.
I'm doing what I can to keep it together, but I cannot do it alone. I'm reaching out daily to friends and/or family to check in, to chat, to remind myself (and sometimes them) we are still here and we have to do what we can. To resist, to take care of ourselves and each other, to refuse to obey in advance.
I read the news every day from sources I trust, and I read opinions from people such as Joyce Vance, Heather Cox Richardson, Dan Rather, and more.
I also read for enjoyment. I get some exercise, some time outdoors, pet my cats, play with the chickens, admire the rabbits and other wildlife in our garden. I listen to the birds, refill the hummingbird feeder. I make my bed, do the dishes, keep the bathroom clean, pick up after myself, keep the recycling, compost, and garbage going out, I sew, I bake.
Today I baked for my daughter's birthday, and her grown children came over. The four of us played games, talked (yes, even about politics), and laughed. There were gifts, and cookies, and pineapple upside down cake (my daughter's favorite), and love was spread all around.
Today an amazing thing happened. Our next door neighbor, with whom we've had hard feelings and words about chickens (theirs, not ours), came up to my daughter when she was outdoors and he was in a state. He was trying to tell her something but couldn't think of the words. She asked him in Spanish if he meant x, and he was so shocked to learn she speaks Spanish he couldn't think of the word in either Spanish or English. So she helped him. Raccoons had chewed through his garage wall, got in and killed all his chickens. He was telling her because her tiny Silkie chicken was out in the garden with her, and he didn't want anything to happen to it.
By the way, we believe our hens are safe from raccoons because we have a coop inside a covered run. The coop has two doors that shut in the hens at night. This should be enough, and I hope it is. We love our hens. They are pets who sometimes lay eggs (which we mostly give to the neighbors behind us, who speak Cantonese.) The other neighbor's chickens were loose in the garage, so they seemed safe until the raccoons chewed through the wall.
Today's communication is a real breakthrough for us, and I expect for our neighbors as well. We've been stone cold silent with each other for almost a year. Because of the current political climate, I've been thinking a lot about all our neighbors. How little we know each other, how little we even speak to each other. What if they needed us? What if we needed them? I knew what we would do if they needed us (whatever they need), but not whether we could count on them. Now I think we can. A huge ray of hope entered my life today. And I am so grateful.
How are you taking care of yourself, your family, your neighborhood? Do you have people to count on? Do you know what you would do to help others, should the need arise? Do you know who you would reach out to if you need help? Do you feel safe?
I love this post Sandra. I’m so glad that you can feel the hope and that you connected with your next door neighbor. I have to believe this is how we will endure and yes keep baking and seeing and loving. The world needs more of it.
Sandra,
You are so right. The only way to keep from despair is to know how many are working to counter the administrations’ hate and vile ideas. I keep it together by working with the Interfaith Alliance on Poverty to help those in the region who are fragile because of fear and because our policies too often create barriers to a stable life. And I work with an organization called SAGE to mentor children learning a new language or having trouble with math. The kids and the adults I’m with every week help me stay focused on the next dumb thing and the next small step that one person can take when they know that many others are working to make life better for others despite all that the next four years may throw at us. I hope you find similar organizations and have a boost from the positive strength of small steps that make a big difference.
I'm very glad that you had this break through with neighbors. That is a huge step for all of you. Let's keep on making these connections. Thank you for this post.
Rae