11 things: Making Some Space
1. Voter turneout is everything. I went to a virtual house party this week for the Movement Voter Project and just made a small donation today to the Big 5 Fund -- directly in support of grassroots organizations on the ground in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida, Arizona, and Wisconsin. Trump did not win by much in 2016, and we all know that it's likely he'll contest a loss, no matter the margin. We have to win this mofo by a landslide.
2. As I stood there earlier letting Chalupa sniff one spot for what seemed like a long time, I realized that the drumbeat of what's at stake here is never not with me. And I wonder why I'm tired.
3. I found myself regretting having unfriended someone I've known for a long time, shortly after the police murdered George Floyd and the protests began. I'd made an attempt, I thought, to communicate with him on Facebook, but it was going nowhere and I got frustrated. When he had shared photos mocking protestors, I was done.
4. It's funny the way the mind does that. No doubt it's a way of trying to think I have some power, some control -- if only I could get through to this one person... this one person who I know cares deeply about an indiviual who is transgender, this person who purportedly has no problem with my being gay yet whose vote says otherwise. This person also cares about his guns, and has an image to uphold, and who knows what all else. It's maddening. And yet hard to let go.
5. My walk this morning felt like a prayer service in motion. I listened to Nava Tehilah on Spotify, stopped multiple times to take pictures, and marveled at the clarity of color all around.
6. The apple crumble is so good.
7. Such a great session with a client this afternoon. It ended with cave imagery, and now I think I need to write something about caves. Stay tuned for that. Also, the word "spelunking" is so fun. It makes me smile every time I say it.
8. I just ran out of things to say. And resisted the urge to delete that sentence.
9. Last night I dreamed that a friend had been appointed to be the new caretaker for Plum Village in France. It was so joyful; I hugged her and cried with happiness when she told me the news.
10. Circling back to #1, Sharon Salzberg led a short but powerful opening meditation at the MVP house party. One thing she said has continued to echo in my thoughts: We aren't trying to get rid of anything. We're just creating some space.
11. Oh, the difference a little space can make.
