Barack Obama gifted us the belief of Audacious HOPE.
Hope is audacious as hope can be elusive. The darkness is an easy place to stay when the light has dimmed.
This period of darkness rips chunks from my psyche. The other day I ran into a friend at the grocery store. When she said, “I looked great”, a lovely compliment that I immediately discarded as impossible, “I’m so depressed. These are terrible times.” She threw me a rope and I pulled her into the depth of my sinkhole.
The vortex of hate wants us in the depths. We’ve lived through dark times before. Obama threw us a rope. We grabbed hold and climbed out. This time, we must make the rope, throw it to each other and make sure no one is left behind.
Watching our Presidential candidates climbing over and clawing at each other left me cold. I wondered if I was getting sick. I wrapped myself in a scarf. The chills left once the TV was off.
Michelle Obama challenged us to go high. We cannot get stuck in the low.
In my sleep I rewrote the drama that unfolded on last night’s stage. Mike Bloomberg admitted to each of his grave mistakes and asked for genuine forgiveness from the individuals and communities he abused. Elizabeth Warren explained in detail that a wealth tax isn’t an attack on the wealthy but a “philanthropy’’ tax that gives our society a leg up. Bernie yelled less. Biden, Pete and Amy were kind to each other. They all united a collectiveness goodness. There were no wagging fingers, no insults, no hits below the belt. Instead, the closing remarks were complimentary of the courage it takes to stand on that stage and to the beast they are fighting against. They reminder us that hope, goodness and our democracy will prevail.
When our leaders struggle to shine light or shine light on a path we’re uncertain we want to go down, it’s an invitation to shine our light for one another.
It’s easy to be afraid of what November will bring. We can hope and pray for change. And we can unite together against the inhumanity, which isn’t each other or these candidates, it’s the guys casting shadow on our light while profiting off our despair.
While I have a preference for who wins the Democratic nomination, and I see flaws in each of the candidates (some more glaring than others), just as I see flaws in myself, I will VOTE BLUE NO MATTER WHO. I will work to make sure we win the Presidency, the Senate, keep the House, Governorships and local races. I will not criticize. I will not attack. I will stay high. And I will embody the Audacity of Hope.
TODAY’S EASY ACTIVISM
VOTE BLUE NO MATTER WHO and work like hell for the candidate you support.
Donate if you can (gee gawd, I loathe Citizen’s United…)
Jaime Harrison v Lindsey Graham, South Carolina
John Hickenlooper v Cory Gardner, Colorado
Sara Gideon v Susan Collins, Maine
Cal Cunningham v Thom Tillis, North Carolina
Astronaut Mark Kelly v Martha McSally, Arizona
Amy McGrath v Mitch McConnell, Kentucky
Theresa Greenfield v Joni Ernst, Iowa
Reverend Raphael Warnock v Kelly Loeffler (or Doug Collins), Georgia
Senator Doug Jones to keep his seat in Alabama. He voted to convict the President and is facing a tough reelection.
MJ Heger v Jon Cornyn, Texas
Phil Arballo v Devin Nunes, CA
Shannon Freshour v Jim Jordan, OH
Elisa Cardnell v Dan Crenshaw, TX
We are stronger together. Yes we can. Let’s do this. LFG.
Deep love and gratitude -
:: Genessa