Keep your light
This, my dear,
is the greatest challenge
to being alive.
To witness injustice in the world and not allow it to consume our light.”~Thich Nhat Hanh
There’s no way around it but through it. Unless you’re in denial, it’s been a difficult week for everyone. The ongoing post-election analysis isn’t helping nearly half of our wounded country, nor is it mending the broken personal relationships that were damaged by years of nefarious, name-calling politics. As a good friend put it, “Things aren’t going to feel normal for a long time.”
But we can’t let fear or despair “consume our light,” as today’s quote suggests.
All week, I’ve been talking with loved ones who are also struggling with the election outcome. Some are avoiding the news and seeking distraction in books and films. Others want to confront the facts and determine why things turned out the way they did.
This morning, I had coffee with a group of politically informed friends and neighbors. We met to nurse our bruised ideals and share our grief. Brimming with enthusiasm last month, the same group of eight women had gathered around my dining room table to write non-partisan letters and postcards encouraging fellow citizens to get out and vote. Despite our discouragement, this morning we talked about how grateful we are to have each other. After lots of tears and hugs, I left our meeting with my light rekindled.
If you’re hurting after this election, it helps to build community and reconnect with people who validate your values, ideals, and love for this country. They need your light as much as you need theirs.
But I can hear you asking: “What about the voters who opposed us? How can we mend relationships with the ones who disagreed with our choices?”
Right now, I’m not sure. So much depends on the depth and quality of those relationships prior to all this political turmoil. It also depends on how we reconcile the apparent differences between their moral compass and ours. We can avoid talking politics and tip-toe around the elephant in the room. Or, if we’re lucky, we can have peaceful, informed discussions and learn more about each other. Either way, it will take time to find common ground again.
That said, while we lost many things in this election, we haven’t lost the right to choose our friendships. But without exception, we must practice patience, kindness, and civility in all of our social encounters.
Some additional thoughts …
Many voters are unaware of the changes to expect within the next couple of years, such as how tariffs will impact our taxes and which social benefits might be decreased or cut. If you’re looking for an accurate, well-researched analysis of current events — in easy to understand terms — I recommend “Letters from an American” by Heather Cox Richardson. Richardson has authored several history books and is professor of American History at Boston College.
On another note, I appreciate your emails in response to my recent posts, and will answer each one as soon as I can. “Life Lines” also has a comments section at the end of each post. You can read them when you view “Life Lines” in your browser. Most of you are responding directly to the emailed posts. Please note that the daily posts you receive in your email are shorter, edited versions of the original posts on the blog. Additional blog features do not show in your email.
Some of you wish that I would avoid writing about politics. You want “Life Lines” to remain upbeat and inspiring, and that will be my goal in future posts here. For me, the personal has always been political. To pretend otherwise, now, is like trying to ignore a jetliner that just crashed in my living room. So I’m working on creating a separate blog or newsletter with my political musings, which will be semi-private and available only to those who request it. Contact me privately if you want to read it. You won’t receive these new posts unless you request them. ~CL
Cindy La Ferle
Throughout my career, I've worked as a book production editor, travel magazine editor, features writer, and weekly newspaper columnist. My award-winning lifestyles features and essays have appeared in many national magazines and anthologies, including Newsweek, Reader's Digest, The Christian Science Monitor, Writer's Digest, Victoria, Better Homes & Gardens, Bella Grace, and more. My weekly Sunday "Life Lines" column ran for 14 years in The Daily Tribune (Royal Oak, MI) and won a First Place (Local Columns) award from the Michigan Press Association. My essay collection, Writing Home, includes 93 previously published columns and essays focusing on parenthood and family life.
10 Comments
Cookie
Cindy, Lifelines was often inspiring before you decided to continually trumpet your liberal viewpoint. Just call me disappointed. Will be cancelling my subscription.
Happy trails.
Cindy La Ferle
Thanks for your honest comment, Cookie. I understand.
Cindy H L
Thanks for the blog, Cindy. I also met recently with a number of friends about this election and what it will mean for us both personally and as American citizens. Your words reflected what we all said at our gathering.
Cindy La Ferle
Thanks, Cindy. I just read another article about how important it is for us to gather, and not isolate ourselves in silence.
Rick Smith
Cindy,
I think your comments are right on. I am one that is also concerned about our future.
I also read Heather Cox Richardson’s daily e mail newsletter. She is terrific.
I think you should write of your personal feelings toward things. Makes it more interesting and it’s who you are. Seems to me that people who lean left express themselves in a meaningful and polite way and more people on the right tend to be rude and nasty in their opinions. Not all of course .
Rick
Cindy La Ferle
Thanks so much for your thoughts, Rick. I am listening to Heather Co Richardson’s interview with Jon Stewart, and it’s long but so interesting and I learn so much from her. How lucky it would be to be a student in one of her history classes!
Carol S.
I thoroughly enjoy reading all of the Life Lines that you write no matter what the content is.
I have always struggled with putting words on paper, so I appreciate what a talent it is to be a journalist. There have been times that your articles have brought me laughter and sometimes they have moved me to tears. The articles that are thought-provoking come with Ideas that I may not have hought of. I do look forward to each and every.Life Lines that you write and I thank you.
Cindy La Ferle
Thanks so much, Carol. I’m honored to know you’re enjoying the posts as much as I enjoy writing them.
Jacqueline
Your latest posts reflect your identity and beliefs. As readers, we should take what we need from them and strive to understand the message. Isn’t that the essence of free expression? You shouldn’t feel compelled to separate your thoughts into different pages based on how others might react. We are in trouble if we cannot listen to one another. Times are hard for some of us right now. We need to show support and offer strength.
Cindy La Ferle
Jacqueline, You make some excellent points. We need to communicate with one another in order to begin to make peace. If we can’t share who we are with each other, we ultimately grow more distant. It’s hard to get close to (or comfortable with) people who hide their truth. Thanks for your thoughtful message.