I was just thinking, the Quakers say there is the light (of God) in everyone. That light might seem awfully dim these days, but it can be reignited, if we find our way in the dark with whatever is still burning.
You're right, about that light feeling dim. I've always tried to be a light for those diagnosed with cancer and those who are grieving. In this, too, I will try to be a light even if it's a smidgeon of a flicker, which is kind of what mine feels like. We can't let our inner lights be snuffed out. Thank you for your comment. I appreciate you.
This is an excellent, spot-on post. Thank you for this insightful essay, my friend. I just subscribed to Jess Piper's Substack. Thank you so much for the recommendation, as well as your mention of my Substack post.
I wish I could say I am still centered, but I peaked a bit at the news and what I'm seeing is horrific. I myself don't know what to do regarding my news diet. I can't wallow in complete ignorance. Alene, in her latest post, said she was just looking for an art tutorial on YouTube and a snippet of disturbing news hit her, and then I found it out, and I was miserable. I also look on YouTube for art videos, and I'm sure I'm going to be smacked occasionally with the crap about the GOP.
I just had a little run-in with a Trumper on Facebook. I had mentioned to a FB friend that Trump was also elected because he was white. So this guy whom I don't even know says to me that I'm the problem and attitudes like mine are dividing the country. So I decided I would give him one response and told him I refuse to argue with him on this point, that the reason the country is divided is because of Trump and his followers. He responded, trying to get me in an argument. My time is too valuable for this crap, so I let him have his last word. All I know is that I didn't start Jan. 6; that was a traitorous, divisive event, and Trump and his followers were responsible.
I used to believe we were a great country, but to see all these criminals in positions of power goes against every value I have. To see that Trump and his cronies are rewarded for criminal behavior and will never get punished goes against my grain. If I did a hundredth of what they've done, I would be in jail.
And my mind keeps going back to Shakespeare's King Lear. At the beginning of the play, the main characters work together and plot together for the downfall of order. Then, as the plot continues, after having gotten their revenge, they wind up plotting against each other. That's what I predict is going to happen to the GOP. Each is so power hungry, they will eventually do in-fighting. And my prediction is that many people who voted for Trump will regret their decision because his policies will hurt them as well as us.
I've been rambling, so I want to end my comment with positivity. Your post is so necessary; it has revitalized and re-anchored me and lifted me up. It has solidified my determination to focus on what's most important in life. I'm going to continue painting and feed my soul with the love and calm I feel while painting. And I will be there for all those I love, such as my daughter. Your suggestions for how to distract ourselves from this mess are wonderful. I am enjoying reading and writing, too.
We need to fill the night sky with light. And we do this by living our best life.
I'm glad to hear you subscribed to Jess Piper's Substack. I think you'll appreciate her writings.
You likening this mess to Shakespeare's King Lear is really insightful. I haven't read that - I might need to! I love how good literature is timeless. I think you might be right about the GOP self-imploding eventually as more infighting and power grabbing seems inevitable. So much damage can be done in the process, though. I do think people who voted for Trump will regret it, at some point. But, I might be wrong. I will never understand how so many looked past his deep, deep flaws. My values feel so violated.
I'm sorry you had that Facebook negative exchange. Ugh...
I am trying really hard to stay on your recommended news-watching diet. Here's a funny story. for the past few years, I've watched cable news while eating my lunch. The other day, I decided to tune into a soap opera I used to watch instead - The Bold and the Beautiful. Lo and behold, the plot hasn't changed in years! There were even some original actors/characters still on. Gave me a real chuckle, which I needed. I'm also watching more local news now and limiting my MSNBC and CNN watching. I don't want those shows benefiting from another Trump presidency, and I do think they played some role in getting Trump reelected by normalizing some of the crazy shit that's gone on, not pressing lawmakers hard enough, etc.
Now look who's rambling! I love the your final two sentences. Such a good reminder that living our best lives is always how we fill that night sky with light. Thank you for your insightful comments and support, as always. I appreciate you.
Although I watched All My Children, I do rememberThe Bold and the Beautiful! I did get a kick out of your watching it and the fact that the plot is the same. Why not enjoy a soap opera, even if it's the same old, same old? In these times, anything to make us feel better is worth it.
Nancy, I feel exactly as you do. I am limiting what I watch politics-wise, but I am in no way giving up. I had counted on women to pull us through - didn't happen. I had counted on informed, open-minded people to show up - didn't happen. It's going to be a (long) process, but I cannot let despair keep me from participating.
I had counted on those same people showing up too. I'm so disappointed in the voters who stayed home and in the women who couldn't bring themselves to vote for Kamala. I'll never understand how voting for a criminal with no moral character could've been a better choice, no matter what the price of eggs. You're right about that long process ahead. Thank you for your comment. It uplifts me today. I appreciate you.
Nancy, I agree with everything you have written. It's nice to know I'm not alone. Thank you. There will be lots to think about and act upon in the coming years, especially if you're in the cancer community and have to contend with possible changes to healthcare. The president-elect's supporters may be surprised to find themselves in the same boat as the rest of us.
Yes, I am worried about my friends in the cancer community and what might lie ahead for them. I don't know what Trump's plans are regarding healthcare, but I have little faith in his concepts. Thank you for sharing. I appreciate you. And, you're definitely not alone.
Nancy, Heather Cox Richardson points out that younger people, especially men, get their news from free sites— YouTube, Reddit, TikTok. Getting your news from newspapers was strongly correlated with voting for Kamala Harris. She says that young men have been radicalized. Our information silos are huge and the Fox News, Joe Rogan influence is huge. Trump won by about 1%, and across the world, there’s been an ant incumbent movement after the height of the pandemic ( a global trauma that has not really been processed in my opinion.) I’m with you on “ not borrowing trouble “, and only reading calm voices that have suggestions.
We are definitely still grieving. This loss was brutal. I'm grateful for people like Heather Cox Richardson who writes with such clarity and knowledge. The right has done a far better job building up its "news" influencers. It's hard to compete with Fox News, Joe Rogan, and others and yet, we have to do a better job doing exactly that. Disinformation is a real problem, and I'm not even sure it's fixable, at this point. And yet, we can't give up hope that it is. Truth has to prevail, doesn't it? Eventually? I worry how much damage can be done during the next four years. I hope Americans do some soul searching in the coming months. Things are already getting rocky. Hoping the Senate steps up, but admittedly, I don't hold out much hope. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts. I appreciate you.
I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated your two articles since the election. They have captured my feelings and emotions so well. It has been helpful to know that others are feeling the same way and also having a hard time since the election. I, like many, have turned away from the news and spending more time in other activities. I was hoping I'd feel better by now, unfortunately not yet. I'm no longer walking around in a stupor but am still profoundly disappointed and frightened.
Your comment makes my day. It's always helpful to know we aren't alone. I have taken Beth Gainer's advice and put myself on a news diet. It's helping some. But the reality is Trump will soon be president and the cabinet he is picking is more cause for worry. So I'm feeling better but at the same time, not feeling better at all. I still wake up every morning thinking, is this really happening? As the saying goes, it is what it is. We have to remain hopeful that good will prevail, choose to not give in or give up, and figure out some ways to make a difference. Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate you.
Hi Nancy, One week post election I am at least over being stunned, shocked, blindsided, and now I'm just reaching the disappointed stage. Trump's picks for cabinet are, well, interesting and a lot frightening. However, this is my stance at this point. America has voted and the majority have made their choice. It is my hope that in the next 4 yrs they can be happy with that choice and that the rest of us will endure. I hope the next generation will turn things around.
I love how practical-minded you are. As you said, America has voted, so we have to deal with it. You're right, of course.
I'm still not quite over being stunned. My values have been trampled on. I'm beyond disappointed in my fellow citizens, especially the women and those who decided to stay home. But here we are. I feel like we're leaving such a mess for our grandbabies. Hopefully, the country can mend, but it's going to take a long while, and the trouble is, the guy in charge wants to keep dividing us.
Thank you for sharing your stance. I appreciate you.
I will add that I worry deeply about what we are teaching our children and grandchildren. That we can do pretty much anything including rape, lying and trying to overturn an election in a violent manner, and still become president. It boggles the mind.
I agree with much of what has been said, but, I'm neither grieving nor giving up. I feel as I had before
the election. I'm very glad that people came out and voted, whoever they chose to support. That is none of my business, and I will uphold their right to their opinion, especially if it's different from mine. If you are a DJT follower, you most definitely have a point of view that's opposite to mine, but that is your
ABSOLUTE right. And I, we, need to listen to people who do not share our views. Really listen. Not just dismiss our friends and neighbors as wrong, dangerous, or uninformed. We have had ample time to get to know the past and future President, because he has been very open about his agenda. America will survive , strong and intact, because the good people of this country will persevere. I have faith that good will overcome the obstacles set before it, and in the end, the truth will out. If we each stick to our principles, we cannot fail ....I hold these truths to be self evident...
Like you, I'm glad the folks that did come out to vote, came out and voted for the candidate of their choosing. It absolutely is/was their right. Unfortunately, many voters stayed home this time, which is why the Dems lost. And yet, the numbers are indicating this election was not a landslide but very close. That gives me some hope.
I agree that we need to listen to people who do not share our views, and I try not to be dismissive or judgmental. It's hard, though, when some voters are misinformed due to so much disinformation - so much lying. The thing I cannot get past is how so many could vote for a man with no moral character. That's the sticking point I cannot resolve in my mind. I feel as if my values have been deeply violated.
My faith in good prevailing has been diminished. I hope I get it back. Thank you for your encouraging words about that. I appreciate you.
I was just thinking, the Quakers say there is the light (of God) in everyone. That light might seem awfully dim these days, but it can be reignited, if we find our way in the dark with whatever is still burning.
Thank you, Alene. What you just said makes me feel better.
Hi Alene,
You're right, about that light feeling dim. I've always tried to be a light for those diagnosed with cancer and those who are grieving. In this, too, I will try to be a light even if it's a smidgeon of a flicker, which is kind of what mine feels like. We can't let our inner lights be snuffed out. Thank you for your comment. I appreciate you.
Hi Nancy,
This is an excellent, spot-on post. Thank you for this insightful essay, my friend. I just subscribed to Jess Piper's Substack. Thank you so much for the recommendation, as well as your mention of my Substack post.
I wish I could say I am still centered, but I peaked a bit at the news and what I'm seeing is horrific. I myself don't know what to do regarding my news diet. I can't wallow in complete ignorance. Alene, in her latest post, said she was just looking for an art tutorial on YouTube and a snippet of disturbing news hit her, and then I found it out, and I was miserable. I also look on YouTube for art videos, and I'm sure I'm going to be smacked occasionally with the crap about the GOP.
I just had a little run-in with a Trumper on Facebook. I had mentioned to a FB friend that Trump was also elected because he was white. So this guy whom I don't even know says to me that I'm the problem and attitudes like mine are dividing the country. So I decided I would give him one response and told him I refuse to argue with him on this point, that the reason the country is divided is because of Trump and his followers. He responded, trying to get me in an argument. My time is too valuable for this crap, so I let him have his last word. All I know is that I didn't start Jan. 6; that was a traitorous, divisive event, and Trump and his followers were responsible.
I used to believe we were a great country, but to see all these criminals in positions of power goes against every value I have. To see that Trump and his cronies are rewarded for criminal behavior and will never get punished goes against my grain. If I did a hundredth of what they've done, I would be in jail.
And my mind keeps going back to Shakespeare's King Lear. At the beginning of the play, the main characters work together and plot together for the downfall of order. Then, as the plot continues, after having gotten their revenge, they wind up plotting against each other. That's what I predict is going to happen to the GOP. Each is so power hungry, they will eventually do in-fighting. And my prediction is that many people who voted for Trump will regret their decision because his policies will hurt them as well as us.
I've been rambling, so I want to end my comment with positivity. Your post is so necessary; it has revitalized and re-anchored me and lifted me up. It has solidified my determination to focus on what's most important in life. I'm going to continue painting and feed my soul with the love and calm I feel while painting. And I will be there for all those I love, such as my daughter. Your suggestions for how to distract ourselves from this mess are wonderful. I am enjoying reading and writing, too.
We need to fill the night sky with light. And we do this by living our best life.
Hi Beth,
I'm glad to hear you subscribed to Jess Piper's Substack. I think you'll appreciate her writings.
You likening this mess to Shakespeare's King Lear is really insightful. I haven't read that - I might need to! I love how good literature is timeless. I think you might be right about the GOP self-imploding eventually as more infighting and power grabbing seems inevitable. So much damage can be done in the process, though. I do think people who voted for Trump will regret it, at some point. But, I might be wrong. I will never understand how so many looked past his deep, deep flaws. My values feel so violated.
I'm sorry you had that Facebook negative exchange. Ugh...
I am trying really hard to stay on your recommended news-watching diet. Here's a funny story. for the past few years, I've watched cable news while eating my lunch. The other day, I decided to tune into a soap opera I used to watch instead - The Bold and the Beautiful. Lo and behold, the plot hasn't changed in years! There were even some original actors/characters still on. Gave me a real chuckle, which I needed. I'm also watching more local news now and limiting my MSNBC and CNN watching. I don't want those shows benefiting from another Trump presidency, and I do think they played some role in getting Trump reelected by normalizing some of the crazy shit that's gone on, not pressing lawmakers hard enough, etc.
Now look who's rambling! I love the your final two sentences. Such a good reminder that living our best lives is always how we fill that night sky with light. Thank you for your insightful comments and support, as always. I appreciate you.
Although I watched All My Children, I do rememberThe Bold and the Beautiful! I did get a kick out of your watching it and the fact that the plot is the same. Why not enjoy a soap opera, even if it's the same old, same old? In these times, anything to make us feel better is worth it.
Nancy, I feel exactly as you do. I am limiting what I watch politics-wise, but I am in no way giving up. I had counted on women to pull us through - didn't happen. I had counted on informed, open-minded people to show up - didn't happen. It's going to be a (long) process, but I cannot let despair keep me from participating.
Hi Denise,
I had counted on those same people showing up too. I'm so disappointed in the voters who stayed home and in the women who couldn't bring themselves to vote for Kamala. I'll never understand how voting for a criminal with no moral character could've been a better choice, no matter what the price of eggs. You're right about that long process ahead. Thank you for your comment. It uplifts me today. I appreciate you.
Very well said!
Nancy, I agree with everything you have written. It's nice to know I'm not alone. Thank you. There will be lots to think about and act upon in the coming years, especially if you're in the cancer community and have to contend with possible changes to healthcare. The president-elect's supporters may be surprised to find themselves in the same boat as the rest of us.
Hi KittyK,
Yes, I am worried about my friends in the cancer community and what might lie ahead for them. I don't know what Trump's plans are regarding healthcare, but I have little faith in his concepts. Thank you for sharing. I appreciate you. And, you're definitely not alone.
Truth.
Nancy, Heather Cox Richardson points out that younger people, especially men, get their news from free sites— YouTube, Reddit, TikTok. Getting your news from newspapers was strongly correlated with voting for Kamala Harris. She says that young men have been radicalized. Our information silos are huge and the Fox News, Joe Rogan influence is huge. Trump won by about 1%, and across the world, there’s been an ant incumbent movement after the height of the pandemic ( a global trauma that has not really been processed in my opinion.) I’m with you on “ not borrowing trouble “, and only reading calm voices that have suggestions.
I think we’re all still grieving.
Hi Jan,
We are definitely still grieving. This loss was brutal. I'm grateful for people like Heather Cox Richardson who writes with such clarity and knowledge. The right has done a far better job building up its "news" influencers. It's hard to compete with Fox News, Joe Rogan, and others and yet, we have to do a better job doing exactly that. Disinformation is a real problem, and I'm not even sure it's fixable, at this point. And yet, we can't give up hope that it is. Truth has to prevail, doesn't it? Eventually? I worry how much damage can be done during the next four years. I hope Americans do some soul searching in the coming months. Things are already getting rocky. Hoping the Senate steps up, but admittedly, I don't hold out much hope. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts. I appreciate you.
Thank you, Nancy. I needed this today. Much love.❤️ 🫶💕
Hi Mary,
Thank you for reading and taking time to comment, too. I appreciate you. Much love back.
I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated your two articles since the election. They have captured my feelings and emotions so well. It has been helpful to know that others are feeling the same way and also having a hard time since the election. I, like many, have turned away from the news and spending more time in other activities. I was hoping I'd feel better by now, unfortunately not yet. I'm no longer walking around in a stupor but am still profoundly disappointed and frightened.
Hi Kathryn,
Your comment makes my day. It's always helpful to know we aren't alone. I have taken Beth Gainer's advice and put myself on a news diet. It's helping some. But the reality is Trump will soon be president and the cabinet he is picking is more cause for worry. So I'm feeling better but at the same time, not feeling better at all. I still wake up every morning thinking, is this really happening? As the saying goes, it is what it is. We have to remain hopeful that good will prevail, choose to not give in or give up, and figure out some ways to make a difference. Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate you.
Listening to The Who's great lyrics from their song: Won't Get Fooled Again,
"Get down on our knees and pray, we won't get fooled again.'"
This seems rather appropriate for your column today.
Hi Mark,
I had to go to YouTube and listen to the song as I couldn't remember how it went. Now, I get your comment. Thank you for sharing. I appreciate you.
Hi Nancy, One week post election I am at least over being stunned, shocked, blindsided, and now I'm just reaching the disappointed stage. Trump's picks for cabinet are, well, interesting and a lot frightening. However, this is my stance at this point. America has voted and the majority have made their choice. It is my hope that in the next 4 yrs they can be happy with that choice and that the rest of us will endure. I hope the next generation will turn things around.
Hi Donna,
I love how practical-minded you are. As you said, America has voted, so we have to deal with it. You're right, of course.
I'm still not quite over being stunned. My values have been trampled on. I'm beyond disappointed in my fellow citizens, especially the women and those who decided to stay home. But here we are. I feel like we're leaving such a mess for our grandbabies. Hopefully, the country can mend, but it's going to take a long while, and the trouble is, the guy in charge wants to keep dividing us.
Thank you for sharing your stance. I appreciate you.
I will add that I worry deeply about what we are teaching our children and grandchildren. That we can do pretty much anything including rape, lying and trying to overturn an election in a violent manner, and still become president. It boggles the mind.
I agree with much of what has been said, but, I'm neither grieving nor giving up. I feel as I had before
the election. I'm very glad that people came out and voted, whoever they chose to support. That is none of my business, and I will uphold their right to their opinion, especially if it's different from mine. If you are a DJT follower, you most definitely have a point of view that's opposite to mine, but that is your
ABSOLUTE right. And I, we, need to listen to people who do not share our views. Really listen. Not just dismiss our friends and neighbors as wrong, dangerous, or uninformed. We have had ample time to get to know the past and future President, because he has been very open about his agenda. America will survive , strong and intact, because the good people of this country will persevere. I have faith that good will overcome the obstacles set before it, and in the end, the truth will out. If we each stick to our principles, we cannot fail ....I hold these truths to be self evident...
Hi Lynda,
Like you, I'm glad the folks that did come out to vote, came out and voted for the candidate of their choosing. It absolutely is/was their right. Unfortunately, many voters stayed home this time, which is why the Dems lost. And yet, the numbers are indicating this election was not a landslide but very close. That gives me some hope.
I agree that we need to listen to people who do not share our views, and I try not to be dismissive or judgmental. It's hard, though, when some voters are misinformed due to so much disinformation - so much lying. The thing I cannot get past is how so many could vote for a man with no moral character. That's the sticking point I cannot resolve in my mind. I feel as if my values have been deeply violated.
My faith in good prevailing has been diminished. I hope I get it back. Thank you for your encouraging words about that. I appreciate you.