I love this photo of my wife and me. It sits on my desk where I write and work. No matter how hurried, frustrated, task-oriented (or procrastinating), agitated or excited I feel, when I look at it I pause into a state of whole-heartedness.
I see Wolf's heart on her face exuding genuine and pure love. I see me, my expression so different than hers. Where The Wolf's is all heart, mine is whimsy. It's true to who we are.
The archetype of marriage never appealed to me. The idea of being somebody's wife. As a young girl I never dreamed in wedding, white dresses or bridal parties. Just wasn't part of my make-up. Wolf knew this about me and yet, to her, nothing is more significant than committing to love. She is right. Where all I could see was the aged construct, she saw the value of commitment and reconstructing the original design.
We got engaged as I read her mind while embracing on the beach in Moloka'i Hawaii. I lifted my head off her shoulder and said 'yes'. She hadn't asked me the question. She'd been thinking about it. If you've been Moloka'i, you know the power of that island. If you haven't been and plan on going, be prepared. Moloka'i delivers what you need ready or not. It scares me to think about.
I share this not because I want to trip down memory lane, which is fun for me, but more because of what happens when we give ourselves permission to sink into to our truths. When we turn off the banter and bluster of social media and the news, and drop into the times we're living in.
In this time we are awake to all that is sacred - facts, black and brown lives, women's rights, immigrants rights, Orcas, ice-caps, grizzlies, wolves, federal employees, all sentient beings.
We are awake to record corporate profits and record heat waves. Everything feels accelerated. It's challenging to stay grounded when corruption gets attention but not attended to, when judicial nominees are changing the landscape for our foresee-able future and where it's easier not to look because holy hell, I can't bear to see all the despicable and blatant disregard.
And then there's those faces, like Wolf's does for me, that stand out as they stand up for human rights, civil rights, social and environmental justice. The faces of love, caring, compassion. The faces who are running for office and being elected in primaries all over our country. The faces advocating for our earth and our children and our immigrants and all of us.
We are those faces.
Since it's easier to not look at the destruction of this GOP and administration, the destruction of greed, let's look at each other and remember why we vote. Why we march. Why we show up and committed to reconstructing the original design.
When I vote, I'm voting for you, for your children, for our Orcas and bears and wolves and teachers and federal employees and clean energy and opportunity and graciousness and respect and humanity. I'm voting for love.
Next week, we will feel bamboozled again with the hearings of Brett Kavanaugh. It's important that we look at the faces of love and make phone calls to Senators (click here for phone numbers). And on November 6, the anniversary of my first date with my wife, nothing is more important than voting and encouraging others to vote.
Remember love is stronger than fear. Love floats. Fear sinks.
Together we can.
Wishing you a happy holiday weekend.
In love and gratitude -
:: Genessa