I love you, lovelies.
Today feels like a really dark day. Like many of you, I didn’t sleep well last night. Waking up to this awful reality, the far-reaching possible consequences churning in my gut… It’s heavy. You all know – we’re not fine. I guess my shock and disbelief are products of trying not to live cynically…? Which doesn’t make this any less crushing.
Within my digital networks today, there was a lot of grief, and also a lot of caring support going around. Grieving, in my experience, is a form of love. So, as I vowed in my last post, I’m going to use this forum to put some love out there. (And to process all the messy thoughts and feelings for myself, so that I can actually sleep tonight.) It might be just a start. Y’all can come along if you want. And, if what you need right now is not this, I understand.
**Clarification**
If the following sounds facile… it’s just what I’m able to do today, in my sad and tired state. If it starts to sound like thoughts and prayers! or light and love! or something cute and insincere, I want you to know that I am treating this like healing exercise. I am taking a moment for each, to close my eyes and feel this. Holding you in the Light, Quaker-style. It can’t hurt to try.
Here we go.
To the people who voted for Kamala Harris, I send love. It’s a devastating loss. In Canada too, she had a lot of us hoping for a sea change – a revolution on myriad levels. I wish we could have seen where she would take the presidency.
To the humans with female body parts that the patriarchy seeks to control, I send love. This is really scary. Well, we know that the world is watching and I, for one, am fiercely passionate about our collective bodily autonomy. Let’s continue to be fierce together.
To people of colour in America, I send love. I know you didn’t need yet another proof – and advancement – of the racism that still thrives so tenaciously in your country. (And mine. And many others.) It’s appalling.
To the queer, lesbian, gay, bi, pan, trans, non-binary, and two-spirit folks, I send love. I know the danger is real. From my vantage point, though, Generation Alpha is growing up all kinds of queer and queer-positive. They get more powerful every year. I’m holding onto that.
To American women, I send love. It’s obvious that the fear of powerful women, in America and so much of the world, is going as strong as ever. But awareness and understanding of patriarchy and misogyny are rising like a tide. We are still taking this system apart brick by brick. I like to imagine what will wash away when the tide hits it.
To the people around the world who are feeling dread, knowing that the reverberations of this election will make you less safe, I send love. I feel powerless and terrified too.
To the Republicans who did not want this outcome, I send love. You must know how this looks and I’m sure you’re cringing. I’m sorry your party has become such a disaster.
To the women who voted for Donald, I send love. I sorrow for the experiences you must have had, leading you to uplift a party that’s working to ensure that you are neither safe nor free.
To the men who voted for him, I send love too (even though it’s… not easy), because I believe you’ve had a lot of unmet needs, especially when it comes to love. If last January 6th is any indication, you are full of rage, fear, and violence. That is a hard and unfulfilling way to live. I wish you could have had the loving connections in your life that would have made you generous, open, compassionate, and contented instead.
And to you, lovely readers, I send hugs and love and gratitude always. Thanks for reading.
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