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Now What?

Now What?

Tuesday, April 7th:

  • Wake up with the same existential "Will he or won't he" dread felt across the globe. Send up prayers for peace, and compassionate thoughts for the 90 million Iranians fearing they might be obliterated at the whim of this mad man.
  • Go to the public pool anyway to thrash out some angst in the water.
  • Come home, sing to my cats about how much I love them, interspersed with chanting long strings of expletives aimed at the 70+ million who voted for this (zero patience for the ones who are now whining, "I didn't vote for this." - Yes you abso-fucking-lutely did!) and the millions more who couldn't be arsed to vote for Harris for whatever lame reason.
  • Lunch date with my favourite doomer where we engaged in morbid, yet hilarious conversations about death, collapse, municipal politics, and the same shit on everybody's mind the day that the Psycho-in-Chief promised to wipe out Iran.
  • Email Prime Minister Mark Carney pleading with him to do whatever he can to de-escalate the crisis du jour.
  • Listen to Politics Chat with Heather Cox Richardson who reminds us to take care of ourselves and continue to take action, maybe even more action now.
  • Go to Art Drop-In session (taking care of myself as per HCR's recommendation) hosted by my kiddo, and spend a few hours embroidering in the company of a gaggle of trans kids who have discovered this wonderfully safe, creative space.
  • Get home and heave a sigh of relief upon learning that He Didn't, but still harbour a pit in my stomach from the insane level of anxiety that one fucking lunatic just caused worldwide, and a resolve to fight back harder once I recover from the day's trauma.

How was your Tuesday?

The rest of the week.

That pit in my stomach never left this week. In fact, it was joined by an overwhelming sense of despair. While I'm still trying to voice my opposition to old growth logging, LNG, and all the planet-killing activities our federal and provincial governments seem hellbent on pursuing, I couldn't shirk that "Why bother" feeling while we're actually wondering if the Toddler-in-Chief will launch WWlll on Tuesday, Thursday, or maybe not at all, your guess is as good as mine. The temptation to hide under the covers was powerful this week. The temptation to give up nearly got me.

But listening to this interview with Omar El Akkad (author of One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This) by Anand Giridharadas I was, once again, reminded that, no matter how seductive despair might be, we simply cannot give up. We cannot surrender to despair while Israel is dropping bombs by the hundreds on the people of Lebanon. We cannot surrender to despair while children are being sent to the Dilley Concentration Camp. We cannot give in to despair while the fascists are fascist-ing at top speed, destroying lives everywhere they go. Despair is not an option.

Call it Tikkun Olam, call it basic decency - I believe that we have a responsibility as humans to keep trying to make this world a little better, a little kinder, a little safer for everyone. Even when our efforts feel like they're too small to make a difference, we keep trying. Not any one of us is capable of creating all the changes we need to see, but we are all able to contribute to the group effort, and that is where our power lies.

Next week - Mars, Aries, Saturn and Neptune - oh my!

For the woo-woo among you, my new favourite astrologer Chani Nicholas is giving us a big heads-up for the next few weeks. Basically, her message is 'hold onto your hat' 'cuz, astrologically speaking, things are going to get extra spicy. My take-away from her video is that over the next few weeks (next week in particular):

  • We're all going to feel discombobulated. (I mean, I've been feeling discombobulated for months. You too?)
  • We can do hard things.
  • Prioritize where you are going to put your energy.
  • Transformation time!

And be sure to rest and restore yourself as we navigate these exhausting times. As I was heading into the Rec Centre on Tuesday morning, I ran into a friend, and did the habitual, "How are you?" conversation starter. His response was something I am hearing a lot lately - "Personally I'm doing pretty good, BUT THE WORLD IS INSANE." And we need to keep doing good in ourselves in order to show up for the long, hard work of systems change. We need to go to the gym or the pool, take restorative rests, eat good food, make art, be in nature, and surround ourselves with good company. Do whatever you need to do to not allow them to overwhelm you with grief and terror. They want us to surrender to fear. They need us to surrender to despair. And we're not going to.

Stay strong, my friends. Keep active!

Jessica (she/her)

p.s. If you haven't already, make a list of ways you are able to show up within your capacity. Write letters, make phone calls, volunteer, donate, make art...