Joy despite the facts

“Be joyful, even though you have considered all the facts.” ~Wendell Berry

Time off is the best gift we can give ourselves when we need it. I usually thrive on writing blog posts and columns, but sometimes it’s a relief to wake up without deadlines.

Without deadlines, I’m more attuned to my surroundings and the moment at hand. I stop feeling pressured to turn every idea, emotion, or event into a story. There’s freedom, for instance, in knowing I can simply appreciate a luminous moon or a field of sunflowers without having to document the spectacle.

So what did I do with the extra hours of deadline-free time? My goal was to regain some inner peace and equilibrium — and a little joy — despite the constant barrage of stupefying political events. I was ready for some distractions that are purely fun. Here are just a few…

Fashion forward

For starters, I love clothes and have always thought of dressing as an art form. But I hadn’t realized there’s an entire universe of fashion influencers who enjoy sharing style tips online. On YouTube, I discovered Emily Wheatley, whose simple but creative/edgy approach to dressing appeals to me now. Then there’s Cindy Hattersley, whose gorgeous California lifestyle/fashion blog makes for wonderful escape reading. And for practical advice on what to wear besides black leggings, I’ve been following Style with Serena on YouTube.

The French method of curating a small, timeless wardrobe has always intrigued me — but I’m nowhere near this ideal. Following tips I’ve learned from my favorite influencers, I’m still in the process of recycling clothes and shoes that no longer reflect who I am or the way I live now. I’m doing this in other areas of my home — and it’s liberating.

Books and British escapes

Reading is the healthiest low-calorie escape from reality. Among the books I’ve read in the past month: Anne Lamott’s Somehow: Thoughts on Love and Liane Moriarty’s Here One Moment (my current book club selection). Last month, I also hosted our neighborhood book club discussion on Bonnie Jo Campbell’s The Waters, which was a difficult (but interesting) novel by a nationally acclaimed Michigan author based in Kalamazoo.

In an effort to curb our political anxiety, Doug and I started limiting TV news to one hour per evening after dinner. I stayed informed by reading several newspapers during the day — but made a much bigger effort to focus on pure entertainment for balance.

With that in mind, Doug and I have been binging on a few British and Irish television series, including “Bad Sisters,” “Prime Target,” and the atmospheric “Discovery of Witches.” Best of all, we recently finished the delightful “All Creatures Great and Small” on PBS. (Talk about pure joy!) England, Scotland, and Ireland flow through my blood — so I feel at happily “at home” whenever I hear those beautiful accents on TV. Of course, I’d love to revisit my ancestral countries in person again — but I absolutely refuse to board a plane until our government rehires all the air-traffic control personnel they fired last month.

Meanwhile, so many of you have asked about Coco, and I’m thrilled to tell you that she’s fully recovered from her accident with barely a limp. I am lucky to have this wonderful dog in my life. Animals know a thing or two about joy.

Free speech and authenticity

Yes, I was impossibly angry after the inauguration. I struggled each day to reconnect with my positive spirit, and I didn’t want to keep dumping my stress on my readers. Even so, I felt guilty for abandoning “Life Lines” — especially since many of you wrote to say that my posts were a comfort to you during these politically charged times. Your notes of encouragement meant so much to me. Thank you.

That said, a few “Life Lines” readers were very unhappy with the political views I expressed in my previous posts. As one (former) subscriber wrote, “I liked your blog better when you didn’t share your liberal views, so I’m cancelling my subscription.”

After years of writing newspaper columns, I’ve learned to respect that kind of honesty. I don’t write because I want people to like me or agree with me. I write because I want to share what I’m thinking and how I’m experiencing life at the moment. Freedom of speech is everything to me, which means I must also welcome the expression of opposing viewpoints. If only certain people are allowed to express themselves about certain topics, well, there is no such thing as free speech. (That’s why I cancelled my subscription to The Washington Post last week.) Freedom isn’t always a soft landing.

In short, I’d rather not censor myself on my own blog. I don’t charge my readers for subscription service fees, and they are free to cancel at any time.

Sharing who we are

More than ever, I’ve been thinking about the fact that many people refuse to discuss politics with others outside their own tribe. Whenever a person tells me that they’d “rather not talk about politics,” I’m 90% sure it’s because they’re not in my political camp or they have opposing views on the topic at hand. Kicking the hard topics under a rug might work for some — but not for me. I believe it’s impossible to fully understand or know a person who refuses to discuss the big issues.

I’m reminded of a thoughtful post by author Cheryl Richardson, which she published right after the election in November. Richardson was criticized (as I was) when she expressed her political views in one of her blogs. A few readers told her to keep her politics to herself.

I admired Richardson’s response. “We can’t heal what we choose to hide,” she wrote. “I grew up during a time when families never talked about religion or politics along with a whole host of other issues considered ‘dirty laundry.’ Those days are over. The issues facing our country aren’t just political. They’re existential. We need to face the truth together and talk things through.”

No matter what you believe, ignoring difficult topics won’t make them disappear. Silence won’t bring us closer or inspire change for the better. I hope that what I’m sharing will help you feel validated and less alone. ~CL