Rebuild. Reconcile. Recover.

Rebuild. Reconcile. Recover. From our new National Youth Poet Laureate! Amanda Gorman. In yesterday’s inauguration, my highlight was Amanda Gorman. I’ve always loved poetry, but I’ve never seen it come to life as it did yesterday. At a time when our country is facing a pandemic, incredible divisiveness and a loss of what makes the country safe, Amanda captured our needs in three words. Rebuild. Reconcile. Recover. 

Rebuilding can be repairing the damage to our Capitol building. It can also be rebuilding our infrastructure and our ability to deliver vaccines through a fractured health system. Reconciling between political parties, families and friends. Recovering what sets us apart from other countries. The three R’s should be our foundation as we move forward under the new administration. Whether or not you voted for the Biden-Harris administration, choosing not to work toward the common good of our country and its people is short sighted. You are punishing yourself if you don’t work toward the common good. You are condemning thousands to hunger and poverty, death from an uncontrolled pandemic, and increasing dysfunction. Facts not lies. A Congress that puts aside petty partisanship in favor of healing our country must happen! 

So what can we do to help? Be positive. Scroll past negativity. Ignore untruths. Pray for those who believe  the conspiracy theories. We may never be able to overcome the indoctrination of the past four years, but pray that calmer heads will prevail. We are better than violence and mayhem. 

Let’s recover our joy and celebrate our future!

Do We Care?

Do we care? That’s a big question in our world right now. My first reaction is nope! We don’t care. We don’t care about each other. We don’t care about those sick with COVID. We don’t care enough to mask and social distance. We say hurtful things on line as if that doesn’t count...things we would never say to each other’s faces. I struggle not to respond to political posts, but I’m not always successful. We don’t fact check before we post. We trust those for whom a lie is acceptable. We don’t care about the unemployed. We just don’t care. This makes me sad. Please tell me I’m wrong. 

A group of us mostly retired folks sat in our distancing circle by the creek and talked about just this topic. We also talked about sports, home values and a few other topics! It was a wonderful break. We agreed we are conflicted. How do we feel about the lack of civility we see in our world? How do we feel toward those who said COVID was a hoax, refused to model safe behaviors, and now have the disease and may have been responsible for multiple infections by not quarantining in a timely manner.  Even the head of NOtre Dame, Father Jenkins,  did not follow his own advice and mask and got COVID. How do we feel about our government now? What is happening? How do we feel about still not providing adequate healthcare for all? Will our democracy survive?  How do we feel about rising home prices and falling 401Ks?  Are we supporting small business and safely supporting restaurants? We were old and younger, an elected school board member and former campaign chair for Bloomberg, a career healthcare worker (that would be me), a VA security guard and former Sheriff, and Woody who surprised me with how much he has been paying attention! 

So yes, I’m conflicted. We each must explore our conscience. We must decide if we care. We must make an effort to care. We must realize that calling ourselves Christian must be reflected in our actions. And Lord knows, I try as I’m sure you do too!  We must look outside ourselves to the needs of others and do what we can to help. Whether that is donating to food banks, supporting small businesses, over tipping if you go out or deliver in, playing with your grands or helping a neighbor!  We need to learn to care more! I’ll try! 

So have a great week! Care a lot! Wear your mask! Social distance! Wash your hands! Love you all!

Just dance!

Do you ever dance in the kitchen? We do...and our kids and grandkids! It is time to sing, dance and be happy! We need to unite...stop the rhetoric...and try to restore our mutual love for our country. I have tried not to comment or react to political posts since January 1st and have been mostly successful. I still see the blackness in some hearts. I still see both sides acting in a manner determined to keep us divided. My comments won’t get us restored. Your comments won’t get us restored. Only through love and positive actions will we heal. 

I will try to do my part to post only positive content so get ready for food pictures, Harley and Boomer pictures, Woodman doing funny things, and soon, garden pictures. It is a day by day struggle to remain positive. I will fail, but like getting thrown off a horse, I will get up and try again! If I can’t be positive, I am contributing to the problem not the solution. We are at a crossroads. It is not a left turn or a right turn; let’s go straight ahead into a better future!

So I choose to love unconditionally regardless. “Soft words turneth away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger”. Proverbs 15:1. Choose your words with love and purpose. Love you all. Wear your mask. Wash your hands! Stay safe! Dance! And have a great week!