I’ve been absent on here for a few weeks now. First I was away in the Adirondacks of NY, camping and enjoying the fall colors, and then, Hurricane Helene blew through my beloved mountain town, leaving a horrific path of destruction and I have been at a loss as to what I could possibly post. Telling someone how to correctly plant a tree or why not to rake leaves felt not very important, given that some people here are without a place to call home, or blocked from getting to their home because of washed out bridges, or not able to have clean water. It’s impossible to travel anywhere around here and not see the devastation. It’s like a punch in the gut. The River Arts District, where I sold my prints and other art is completely gone, wiped off the map by the swollen French Broad River that flooded the area, rising all the way to the roof of the Marquee–a giant warehouse where 300 artists sold their work.
On top of that, there’s politics. I want to be hopeful, but it’s very hard and like many of you, I’m scared. I feel like I’m being forced onto a conveyer belt where I can hear terrible things up ahead, but cannot get off. We’re all counting down the days. This election is more important than any during my lifetime, as it could fundamentally alter life as we know it. One candidate is a deranged psychopath who uses inflammatory language, instigates political violence, wants to punish anyone who disagrees with him, enriches his own pockets, and treats our Earth like it’s his to do with as he and his billionaire friends want, regardless of the animals who will pay the consequences. On top of that he is a racist, anti-immigrant xenophobe. Would you be happy if this person was your daughter’s soccer coach or your child’s school principal? Empathy, respect and kindness matter in life, and so should they in a presidential candidate. So much is at stake. Please get out and vote if you haven’t already! You might think your vote doesn’t matter, but imagine if everyone said that.
Because I am drowning in negativity, I’m trying to reframe my thoughts to focus on the positive, instead of the negative.
So each day I think of things “I get to do.”
Here are a few:
Today, I get to sit at my computer and watch as one bird after another lands in the holly and then comes to the hanging feeder suction-cupped to my window to grab a sunflower seed. These birds give me hope.
Today I get to take my dog Schroeder for a walk where he will gleefully read all of his “pee mail,” and believe me, he has A LOT! I get to watch as he sits in the front seat, the windows down and wind in his fur. He looks carefree and happy. He gives me joy.
Today I get to see where my cat Hobbes will lead me in the yard. His favorite thing in the world is going for walks, and lucky for me, my favorite thing is being outside. His second favorite thing is soaking up the sun, another bonus for me as I too welcome the chance to luxuriate in the sunshine. Hobbes gives me contentment.
Today I get to watch the sunlight playing with the colorful leaves of the sourwood, the maples and the oaks in our Enchanted Forest. When the breeze comes, I get to see the leaves swirling through the sky, all together through the ocean of blue, like confetti. It’s like being at the bottom of a snow globe. The forest gives me peace.
I hope you’ll think of some things that you get to do today, things that feed your soul and offer some light.
Thank you so much for this post, Sharon. Truth spoken, hope given, and a new practice of learning what I “get to do.”
Carol Beth Icard
You are welcome, Carol. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment… nice to see you here!
It’s a lot to take in right now. I find myself with very little patience and angry.with things I would normally let roll off. It’s hard.
“Nature for my soul”. A good reminder of where to find solace.
Yes, I’m with you. I also feel angry and lose patience easily, getting mad at the stupidest things. I think my extra reserves are always used up, probably because of all the negative news stories that are there every single day. It’s like being stuck in a video game like asteroids–things are always coming at you and there’s never a respite…. Nice seeing you here Colleen! I hope you are well and did okay during the hurricane. Sending hugs.
Good post Hon….sometimes I feel so alone and also angry and then you and your readers reach out and lift me back up. Thanks all
We all need to remember the power we have to lift each other up… thanks for reading.
I think the choice, for decent people at least, is to vote for Kamala. Sure, she is not the incumbent with experience, but it’s a matter of focusing her superior powers of reasoning, which the ignorant idiot sadly lacks. I sincerely hope our American friends will realize what a jerk so many of them put in power, and correct the problem before it gets to far out of hand. I guess your politicians can impeach the jerk, but how long would they wait before doing so? How much more damage and uncertainty? The problems won’t be easily fixed, and he is a threat to the ecology of the USA, not to mention so many other matters. It makes me doubt the nation’s collective intelligence.
Murray, I LIVE here and doubt the nation’s collective intelligence! If that many of my fellow Americans can ignore trump’s lies, selfishness and evil desires, we are truly in trouble. People who say they don’t like him, but will vote for him anyway baffle me. How anyone can overlook all of his flaws and crimes and things he has said and done will forever be the biggest mystery of my life.