Yesterday, I attended a protest at my state capitol. I stood side by side with strangers in the almost-freezing rain, my hand cramping from the effort of holding out an umbrella to make a dry patch wide enough to share. Two women tucked into the dry space, one of them accidentally brushing against my butt, then apologizing, embarrassed. I assured her that I’m willing to have my butt touched for Gaza, and we shared a laugh between our cries of “cease fire now” and “all eyes on Rafah.”
i know i must sound like a broken record, but each new headline seems to pull me to you with the same prayer ponder:
can't you do something about all these stupid mean bullshitty things that keep happening down here, the ugly hatred and horrible violence that we keep throwing at each other and how come if we talk your word at all, we skew it all inside out to justify the bullshit mean things we do and say to everybody else that doesn't think exactly like us white privaleged selfish people & all the time i am yelling at you, all I see is you just sitting there with your thumb up your butt saying prolifically hazy stuff like "love all gods children" to me.
Maybe you don't think it's your job, but even my good and noble peace loving dad got the belt out every once and a while.
I am right there with you, Lisa. How to navigate care for self, care for others, and care for all that is in the world (ahem, notice I somehow think it’s possible to include “all” that’s in the world)? Thank you for your thoughtful thoughts, and for sharing them.
This is so beautiful. I struggle with this as well, striking a balance while my canvas often shifts in size. Remembering to give myself grace as my ability shifts has been challenging at times. Thank you for sharing this. 💗
It means so much to be reading so many essays here lately that are saying some of these same things, and making me feel less alone. Thank you for sharing, Lisa.
Such an inspiring text Lisa, thank you so much. This is really an helpful way to see it like a canvas, I will think about it and use this image to help me going through, I think.
What helps me: I found a circle about Women who run with wolves and another about the 13 Original Mothers and it gelps me 1) to share with others in a circle about our struggles and hopes 2) to read how people along the centuries did find hope and wisdom.
Thanks for sharing this postcard of your experience yesterday, as well as these snapshots (paintings?) of all you're holding in that big heart of yours. This post, your poem, the prayers you're saying, the conversations you're having, the space you're holding for all of it is, I suspect, more powerful than you can know. I'm feeling alternately stretched and contracted by all that I see and hear each day and weight of the collective energy out there. At times heavy and dense and others sharp as a razor's edge. Poetry and trees and the comfort of others who feel similarly. These are my go-to's to remain afloat.
Thank you Lisa for this wonderful piece of writing, and for your witness and being present. There is an amazing bonding and solidarity that can form when rallying or demonstrating with others, and a sense of doing something together. None of us can be everywhere or do everything, but we can be present as we can, and/or support folks out on the front lines, witness in a variety of other ways, or be the ones that remind our collective to rest, to replensh and to be "sustainable activists." I love the sense of how you all were nurturing and nourishing each other even in the midst of witnessing to end the death and destruction happening in Gaza and elsewhere in Palestine. Thank you my friend.
hey god,
its chuck again, and, sorry,
i know i must sound like a broken record, but each new headline seems to pull me to you with the same prayer ponder:
can't you do something about all these stupid mean bullshitty things that keep happening down here, the ugly hatred and horrible violence that we keep throwing at each other and how come if we talk your word at all, we skew it all inside out to justify the bullshit mean things we do and say to everybody else that doesn't think exactly like us white privaleged selfish people & all the time i am yelling at you, all I see is you just sitting there with your thumb up your butt saying prolifically hazy stuff like "love all gods children" to me.
Maybe you don't think it's your job, but even my good and noble peace loving dad got the belt out every once and a while.
WTF.
I feel so useless.
AMEN.
ps I love you, say hi to dad for me.
Thank you, Lisa, for screaming and laughing.
I am right there with you, Lisa. How to navigate care for self, care for others, and care for all that is in the world (ahem, notice I somehow think it’s possible to include “all” that’s in the world)? Thank you for your thoughtful thoughts, and for sharing them.
This is so beautiful. I struggle with this as well, striking a balance while my canvas often shifts in size. Remembering to give myself grace as my ability shifts has been challenging at times. Thank you for sharing this. 💗
It means so much to be reading so many essays here lately that are saying some of these same things, and making me feel less alone. Thank you for sharing, Lisa.
Such an inspiring text Lisa, thank you so much. This is really an helpful way to see it like a canvas, I will think about it and use this image to help me going through, I think.
What helps me: I found a circle about Women who run with wolves and another about the 13 Original Mothers and it gelps me 1) to share with others in a circle about our struggles and hopes 2) to read how people along the centuries did find hope and wisdom.
)
This is lovely, thank you.
Thanks for sharing this postcard of your experience yesterday, as well as these snapshots (paintings?) of all you're holding in that big heart of yours. This post, your poem, the prayers you're saying, the conversations you're having, the space you're holding for all of it is, I suspect, more powerful than you can know. I'm feeling alternately stretched and contracted by all that I see and hear each day and weight of the collective energy out there. At times heavy and dense and others sharp as a razor's edge. Poetry and trees and the comfort of others who feel similarly. These are my go-to's to remain afloat.
Thank you Lisa for this wonderful piece of writing, and for your witness and being present. There is an amazing bonding and solidarity that can form when rallying or demonstrating with others, and a sense of doing something together. None of us can be everywhere or do everything, but we can be present as we can, and/or support folks out on the front lines, witness in a variety of other ways, or be the ones that remind our collective to rest, to replensh and to be "sustainable activists." I love the sense of how you all were nurturing and nourishing each other even in the midst of witnessing to end the death and destruction happening in Gaza and elsewhere in Palestine. Thank you my friend.