Do All the Good, But Take a Nap First

As detailed in a previous post, my brain "broke" after the mass shooting in Orlando.  The result, long story short, was I decided to direct my energies toward the presidential election.  After all, I now live in the battleground state of Ohio.  It seemed right to fight.  My thought was that lawmakers, especially those all the way at the top, would be our best defense against the continued abuse of and obsession with firearms in this country.

And now, our president-elect, is deeply between the sheets with the NRA.  They paid 30 million dollars in campaign donations for a piece of Trump's ass and that's what they got.  Guns for you!  Guns for me!  Guns for everyone!  Oh, and guns in schools.  Brilliant.

This is only one of the many issues tying knots in my stomach and creasing concern across my forehead.  I am devastated that our country will soon be in the hands of an administration with hate on their to-do list and a blind pilot in the cockpit.  But I will not despair.  So I got out our new machete.

I abhor violence, but it felt so refreshing to hack down every perennial in my yard this weekend.  I live in the country now, folks.  I hack down things with machetes and put my gardens to bed with conviction.

It also felt refreshing to google charities right here in Geauga County.  Realistically (and practically) there is only so much hacking to be done.  I need another outlet for my energies.  My weeknights no longer include phone banking and my weekends no longer include canvassing.  Campaign let down was sure to come either way because I have leaned on such work as my "reason for being in Ohio."  Well, the campaign is over.  And I'm still here!

I want to do all the good.  I also want to adopt all the puppies.  But time, energy and resources are limited. So.  To quote HRC (because I'm still with her, duh) quoting John Wesley: "Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can." (italics added by moi...full Wesley quote below*)

We can't do much good while we mourn and fret.  But I think it is important that we do.  This is a big deal. Is the US going to sink into the ocean?  No.  But are rights going to be stripped, resources misdirected, families profiled and divided???  We will certainly find out.  And we will certainly do our part to combat injustice.

But in the meantime, here is my advice: take a nap, take a break, take a breath.  Don't rush right out and give money or volunteer or plaster everything with safety pins out of sheer emotion related to this election. Regardless of who is president, love is a long game.  Bust out your Gatorade.  We need you in tip top shape.

So please try to march slowly and calmly and steadily through the rest of this year.  Finish raking leaves. Build a bonfire with friends.  Make two kinds of stuffing for Thanksgiving.  Hug your spouse and count to 10.  Kiss your kiddos until they squirm.  Give the pup some peanut butter.  Light a candle and sit in the quiet and the dark.  Acknowledge the power outside of yourself and pray.  

And then ask for a punching bag for Christmas.

We have always had a lot to do to feed the flow of light and love and peace and unity.  And I am afraid it just got harder.  

So rest up, friends.  Take heart and take care of yourselves and your own.  And then when you're ready...

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can”*

Personally, I am leaning towards training to be a volunteer at a local organization called WomenSafe whose mission is to: 

"provide free support to anyone experiencing violence in their home or dating relationship. This includes comprehensive programming for adults and children including counseling, art therapy, court advocacy, hospital advocacy, outreach services and aftercare. WomenSafe offers all services completely free of charge."

But I am going to take some time to think about it.  How will you be helping next year?

Stop googling for a bit.  Refresh.  Regroup.  And then, re-enter the fray.

* “Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”

― John Wesley, Anglican cleric and theologian who, with his brother and fellow cleric, founded Methodism.