Last night the American people handed the fox the keys to the hen house.
I was shocked in 2016, moved to rant on this blog, to purchase my tickets to the Women's March in DC and to mobilize in multiple venues.
Now I am simply weighed down with sadness, disappointment, disbelief. That the rights of women to equal pay, health care, dignity are not upheld.... that hateful rhetoric still mobilizes Americans more than aspiration . . . that our democracy is taken for granted. . .I woke up early with drooping spirits, struggling to get started on this day.
No crystal balls available on Amazon, so I can't begin to predict the future. I hope it holds something none of us can foresee, in a positive direction. For now I will try to balance the sorrow with gratitude for my family, my wonderful friends, my state of Colorado which enshrined women's rights to reproductive healthcare in our constitution. I'm grateful for the lack of violence despite violent rhetoric, for the good people in government who must get ready to safeguard democracy. I'm also grateful for the letter my brother, John, wrote to his family. I have included a paragraph below.
"Please remember that throughout history, our nation has faced many challenging moments, and each time it's been the quiet strength of individuals and families like ours - people who care, who stay engaged, and who support each other - that has helped us move forward. The next generation is watching and learning from us in how we handle this moment. By continuing to model compassion, civic engagement, and resilience, we teach them valuable lessons about democracy that no election can take away. These lessons will far outlast any single administration."
In solidarity,
Laura