It's 4:00 and almost dark, 43° and spitting rain. I took my camera with me to the mail box just now, hoping for some inspiration.
I have been doing lots of political reading lately, editorials and articles from our Seattle Times, opinion pieces from the New York Times, which come to me via email, and links from Facebook supplied by friends or MSNBC. Most, but not all, are progressive or moderate voices. Some are not. Reading various perspectives keeps me informed. Reading comments from right wing sites keeps me concerned. So much hatred being spewed.
But the dark is very dark - terrorism leading to fear mongering and xenophobia. Today it's Islamophobia, as if every Muslim is our enemy. Before Friday the 13th, it was anti-knowledge, with presidential candidates making up their own reality.
Yes, I watched the last Republican Debate, and on Saturday I watched the Democratic Debate. I care about this stuff, and I care about the truth. There seems to be a dirth of truth among some Republican candidates: pyramids as grain storage, a 3 page tax code, sending 11,000,000 illegals home to Mexico, slashing taxes and increasing military spending? Really?
On Saturday I also stood in the rain for two kid's soccer matches. I care about my grand kids too.
Some would say to me "Quit watching this stuff, stop reading those commentaries and comments, turn your head away", but I have a need to know, and if truth be told, I relish the intellectual stimulation this dialogue gives me. And I care what kind of world we live in.
Something else I did on Saturday was to make soup, hot, comforting turkey soup, made from the remains of that little pre-Thanksgiving dinner we shared on Wednesday. There were left overs for dinner on Sunday as we settled in to watch the Seahawks come from behind, only to lose it in the end. Football fans suffer, but at least it's not life or death suffering.
There will be more soup tonight, the end of the batch, and just the thing for this dark and drippy night.
I was sad about the Seahawks' loss, but it's nothing compared to the state of the world today, is it? I loved this contemplative post, filled with feelings that I identify with completely. Your pictures show a world going to sleep for the winer.
ReplyDeleteLove your thoughts about your grandchildren being the light in the darkness, life among the decay. I admire your ability to keep so informed. Sometimes I grow weary of the voices from both sides and wonder if there's really anything that individuals can do to bring about real change. Holding on to your idea of focusing on the light and life in the darkness and decay will keep me sane!
ReplyDeleteLinda, this is such a beautifully written and thoughtful post. It is so important for this message to be spread. If evil is fought with evil, only evil will prevail.
ReplyDeleteI am muddled as well. The shorter and darker days do have something to do with it as do some other things happening in my life that concern me. We cannot bury our heads in the sand and we cannot watch too much. It is always about the balance.
ReplyDeleteThere is some beauty left in the world, though.
ReplyDeleteLovely post! You never know the treasure you may find when you just push through and write. I, too, have struggled with the darkness. There is such an emphasis on hate and differences, yet if we really look we can find common humanity. Thanks for looking.
ReplyDeleteDiscouraging for sure. I have great faith that God will sort it all out, probably not as fast as I would like but he is in charge and it helps me to remember that.
ReplyDeleteAs for the slippery Politicians...I think most of them are crooks and talk a good talk. Time for a third party I think because the others both stink:)
A well crafted post. Thank God for our grandkids, they are indeed the light in the dark.
ReplyDeleteYou wrote a terrific post for a mind that's in a muddle. I find it difficult to understand why politicians would spout off the misinformation and expect us to believe it. But then there are many people who do believe their fiction. We just got rid of the guys who became mean and nasty. It takes effort to be informed. I'm a current events junky.
ReplyDeleteYes, sort it out...which I think you have already done.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid there is a lot to be troubled about in this world today. Wish it didn't have to be this way. You sure have a beautiful walk to the mail box.
ReplyDeleteI was absolutely thinking the same thing about Islamaphobia. I saw this article in USA Today:
ReplyDelete"A Roanoke mayor is getting national attention after citing the use of internment camps for Japanese-Americans during World War II to justify suspending the relocation of Syrian refugees to his city in Virginia."
So he thinks the internment of Japanese Americans was justified?
In Hawaii, our governor said we should welcome Syrian refugees and you should see the backlash he got. It's really pretty darn shameful. My cousin posted something about the Syrian refugees on his very Christian Facebook page and it was surprising to read the venom that produced. Wow! And now there's Jeb Bush saying only Christian refugees should be allowed in. Sigh...
It's a time of turmoil and transition as we change from fall to winner and the world continues its struggles with freedom and tyranny from terrorists!
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