Fierce, fierce love and hope that just won't already
Look at me, dipping my toes into the discussion that is America these days. The internet is all, "Come on in, the water's fine!" And I'm like, It is so not fine, nobody wins ever, there is nothing right to say, and by the way you're on fire. I know and love people who "voted for a racist" and I know and love people who "voted for a crook". I love people who can't understand the other side, people who are devastated, confused, and heartbroken, people who are cautiously relieved, people who wanted change more than anything, people who think this must be a bad dream from which we'll eventually awake. The water is not fine. And I'ma just be over here, making art, hoping and praying I don't break the world more with it but instead somehow make space for the light to shine through.
design
On that note, since my toes are in anyway, I'll wade in just a little more, because [insert title].
Certain things I know to be true: Writing every day is the only way to kill the writer angst in me. Just do it, my better self tells me when the angst gets overwhelming and I think I will never actually have success in this career. And then I write, and I feel happy, free, and complete - no accolades required. Writing is my job in the world, this I know; and when I do it, I feel a great nod somewhere near me and a gentle amen and well done good and faithful servant, yes I do.
Similarly, when it feels the world is so crazy broken on a scale one hundred million times the size of ten square feet around me, I know that ten square feet around me is exactly where to begin. I hook my feet around the chair in a room with a person I flat OUT disagree with or don't understand and I listen to them and I find golden jewels of understanding and I push love toward them like a cannonball and find a way to mend. There is more to do than that, but this is the least of it, and if it doesn't happen nothing at all wonderful will.
I know you want the world to be better, dear. I know you want people to get it and do better, for goodness sake and for all that is worthy and obvious to you. So, be better and do better within you and near you and as far as you can manage to reach. Don't let anything shake that resolve and make you spew hatred instead, and maybe then something will make sense again. And that thing that glimmers will be fierce, fierce love and a hope that just won't already despite all evidence against it.