Antidote

As someone who squeezes writing into random, odd moments, it is rare that I share pieces here with the type of frequency between the last post and this one. And yet, as I went through my day today, I felt called to write down the following and then decided to share it here. In the midst of all that is unfolding, perhaps others have noticed the potential for feelings of overwhelm and even helplessness. I wanted to share this reflection in case it is of-use for anyone who might read it. I’d truly love to hear your thoughts as you contemplate engagement in this moment. Please feel free to share in the comments!

It is a cold, clear day and bright sunshine casts sparkles across fresh snow. After exploring the glittering world and some particularly joyful sled runs, my little family piles into our car to journey homeward from a brief visit with my parents and sister’s family. As we settle into the car, I feel myself becoming increasingly heavy. I have dreaded this day for months. I can only imagine the fear many are experiencing as the presidency passes hands. 

I’ve been sitting with my own experience since November, and really since long before. Fear, anger, grief, all of it. In recent weeks, I’ve particularly noticed the dread. I am dreading the onslaught of news, of decisions and actions that strip justice and rights, harm vulnerable populations around the globe, demolish the planet, and further concentrate wealth in the hands of a greedy few. 

As I alluded to in my previous piece, I’ve also noticed myself collecting practices, memories, moments, and more in an attempt to form an antidote to what lies ahead. We all have different experiences right now, so I should be clear: my goal is to stay informed, engaged, effective, kind, and fiercely inspired.

I’ve found myself watching my children and contemplating creativity. Their spirit is amazing. In moments both lovely and challenging, they occupy themselves with a nearly constant quest for opportunities to creatively engage. 

So much is needed right now if we are to build kindness, restore justice and rights, protect and preserve the planet…the list goes on. This means there are many ways to get involved and I am quite certain that our creative spirit has a tremendous role to play. 

And so, I am here today, buckled into the car with my mind traveling between events in Washington D.C. and the threads of implications for species human and nonhuman throughout the world while feeling a growing curiosity about how to flip the flow of impact. In this quest, I feel compelled to draft what will be an evolving recipe for my own version of an antidote. The mainstream news in the days, weeks, and months ahead assuredly holds the potential to overwhelm many of us. And yet, anxiety, while a very rational response, does not breed creativity, at least certainly not in my experience. For my part, I know I need this antidote and a physical reminder of the ingredients involved, which will evolve as I test its merit in real time, day-by-day.

Community : Reaching out to friends both dear and new, across generations, across perceived division, across the world, with curiosity and an eye to collaboration.

Choice : Noticing and celebrating the choices I have with increasing awareness of why they are made. If I choose to turn off the news, ensuring it is not a tuning out but a turning towards what I can do. 

Ferocity : Anger is a valid response, and I will seek to transform it into fierce inspiration by diving through the anger to what it points towards: the things I love that are threatened. 

Play : With the spirit of the trickster, may I remember the value of play to stoke the fires of creativity, to form connections, and to keep a strong element of celebration threaded throughout my days. 

Rest : Alertness is not a way of life I choose willingly. Productivity alone is not a benchmark of a well-lived life. Rest is necessary, not just to fuel impact, but because a deep, cozy snuggle is a beautiful way to celebrate being alive. 

Stay close to love : I will not hand over my nervous system, nor will I hand over the tenderness of my heart. I will walk and notice the fierce beauty of the world and I will witness and soak in the fierce beauty of the people I love, those I know well and those I know not at all, but who are stunning in their displays of tenderness. 

Find the invitation : I am certain an invitation is being extended. Within the midst of the challenge is an opportunity to not only resist, but rejuvenate. I’ll be diving deep to find that invitation. 

Humility and power : I have so much to learn. And, I have influence. I will not hold this fact lightly. I have a responsibility to explore this much-needed mix of humility and power. 

Create, create, create : In the dance between noticing the world and the desire to express what we see lies tremendous opportunity. Perhaps it is truly the artists that will save the world, whatever that might mean. Assuredly, art has always and will continue to play a very important role, communicating that which escapes other forms of communication, speaking to hearts, articulating the possibilities that abound, calling us forward with clear, consistent vision.