And Ten Stood Tall ...

Today President Trump was impeached for the second time. While it is a relief since what he did was impeachable and very anti-democratic, it is also sad because the actions that led to the second impeachment happened in the first place. We still have to deal with the senate so this process is only in the middle but this is still a moment we can take a deep breath because one stage of the process is done.

I also have to acknowledge the 10 republicans who stood up and voted to impeach the president. Should it have been more? Yes. Does that mean it was not hard for these 10 to make the right choice? No. 

I am not in a frame of mind to try to provide a lot of commentary about the history that occurred today in relation to the horrifying history that happened a week ago today (see my post from Monday) so this will be brief and I will simply leave you with the list of the 10 republicans who spoke their truth and said that our nation comes before party.

• Rep. Gonzalez (OH) 
• Rep. Meijer (MI)
• Rep. Upton (MI)
• Rep. Cheney (WY)
• Rep. Katko (NY)
• Rep. Kinzinger (IL)
• Rep. Rice (SC) 
• Rep. Herrera Beutler (WA)
• Rep. Newhouse (WA)
• Rep. Valadao (CA)

Feeling Numb ...

 

This has been a wild week, a wild year, a wild 4 years, .... and I have found I have been facing the most recent moment under a haze of numbness. As I wrote somewhere else like I am reading or watching history not that I am living history. I also know I am not the only one struggling right now so I figure a reminder that we are not alone is always useful.

It is hard to put feelings into words but here are two tries:

I am a cup and the current news fills me up until I overflow and then I feel nothing, until my cup is filled again and overflows, and I feel nothing (though the cup is always changing its size so I never know when it will overflow)

I am going about my life and at random times I end up with a "Vulcan nerve pinch" and I forget who I am, when I am, what I am. (Ok that sounds more dramatic than I mean, I don't actually dissociate but I will say I have no idea how we have already gotten to Jan 11th for example, Where has over a third of of January gone?)

Now I have several healthy coping mechanisms including daily fitness (Yoga and Dance Fitness), daily health (Including a multivitamin, water, and brushing my teeth) and daily self care tasks. And I am processing through reading a lot of fanfiction including recently a whole bunch where Captain America is struggling with various mental health issues such as dealing with a world that is not familiar right after being defrosted (I mean an America which is not familiar does not sound like today at all right? LOL) but I also can recognize that like so many people I am struggling in processing everything happening and that has happened. 

I know that the storming of the Capital by an Armed Mob is BIG, but I am finding I do not have the bandwidth to deal with it all. To deal with how deeply White Supremacism is rooted in this country, to deal with how many elected leaders are refusing to accept the results of the election this fall and are encouraging others not to accept the results either, to deal with the fact that there is "debate" over if those who supported the mob and the attack on the Capital should get punished for what they have done. I simply do not have the bandwidth to deal.

So I am able to recognize that personally I have ended up feeling pretty numb. I am guessing you are feeling something too ... if not numbness then anger, if not anger than fear, if not fear some other emotion you may or may not be able to express. I want to remind us all (including myself) we are all feeling feelings right now and no feeling is right or wrong. So if getting out of bed is an bit harder it is ok. If focusing on tasks and to-do lists is an bit harder it is ok. If you are filled with nervous energy and need to go for a long walk or run (with a mask of course) it is ok.

I have found re-watching Wentworth Millers Active Minds Speech* from 2016 has personally been helpful to remind myself, others have felt overwhelmed and numb too, and in reminding me how important it is to share our personal struggles so others know that they are not alone. For me right now it is struggles with numbness which I feel I have to give voice to.

As Leo said in the West Wing:

Leo McGarry : This guy's walking down a street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep, he can't get out. ... Then a friend walks by. "Hey Joe, it's me, can you help me out?" And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, "Are you stupid? Now we're both down here." The friend says, "Yeah, but I've been down here before, and I know the way out."

No matter what you are feeling right now there are many many friends who know what you are going through and know the way out. 

*The short speech briefly mentions some periods where he was in mental health crisis, just be aware in case it might be triggering.

Political Reverberations

 

It has been two days since the history making January 6 2021. This is a story which is always changing so this post is more a collection of reflections you can go back too over time.

Heather Cox Richardson is a historian who provides really good explanations of what has been happening and how it compares and is related to history. She can be found on Facebook. If you want a really good play by play of what actually happened on 1/6 check out this history chat she had.

NBC is keeping a running tally of elected officials who have publicly spoken out about trump having to be removed or leave. Democratic members of Congress on Friday distributed a draft article of impeachment against President Donald Trump titled "Incitement of Insurrection." which among other things wants to prevent Trump from ever running again for president. And as of right now over 8 trump officials have resigned since 1/6/21 which is a lot in two days even for this presidency.

And finally organizations who simply do not do this type of thing are also calling for Trumps removal. For example the Parliament of the World's Religions an interfaith harmony organization where I was once an intern and who generally does interfaith events and is not political posted:

"The Trustees of the Parliament of the World's Religions call on the Vice-President and the Cabinet of the United States to transmit to the President pro tempore of the United States Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unfit and therefore unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, in accordance with Article 4 of the 25th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Donald J. Trump has forsaken his credibility and demonstrated that he is incapable of discharging the powers and duties of the Office of the President of the United States of America. The Parliament of the World’s Religions is a global institution and recognizes the influence that the President of the United States has on the world. Those with the greatest opportunity and power to affect the world have the greatest responsibility to act with unflinching moral integrity."

 

January 6th 2021

 

Today January 6th 2021 an angry mob who had be instigated by those in the highest offices in the land decided to take over the Capital of The United States of America, and they successfully lay siege of the Capital for several hours today. 

Today is a day that will tragically go down in history. I am tried of living through history and historical moments. But living through history is what we all are doing right now.

The last time the US Capitol was over run in such a manner was during the War of 1812 according to Samuel Holliday, director of scholarship and operations with the US Capitol Historical Society.

D.C is going to be under a curfew for the next 15 days in part because the city does not trust Trump not to egg on people to try again.

Today was the Electoral College certification a manly ceremonial activity that happens every presidential election cycle but this run of the mill, normally barely news worthy event, became the flashpoint for this mob because they had been told that Congress could overthrow the results which is not true. 

This was a scary moment and we are all holding our breath to see if democracy in America is going to continue. A moment when world leaders statements sounded like those given when dealing with elections in failed states. 

"Shocking & deeply sad scenes in Washington DC -- we must call this out for what it is: a deliberate assault on Democracy by a sitting President & his supporters, attempting to overturn a free & fair election! The world is watching! We hope for restoration of calm," said Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, wrote, "I believe in the strength of US institutions and democracy. Peaceful transition of power is at the core. Joe Biden won the election."

I am hopeful that as a nation we will be able to come through this and continue to be a democracy both for our own stakes and for every other democracy in the world, but nothing is certain right now, nothing is clear. 

Congress is back at work tonight, after they finally removed the mob from the capital, and sometime in the early morning hours it is likely they will finish the job that they have started and will certify Biden as our next president. But we will have to wait and see if we can get the sepsis of American democracy that led to today (white supremacy, etc.) under control or if today is a sign that our democracy as we know it will not last many more generations.

May gods and goddesses of every shape and size and form, from times long ago to times yet to come, please watch over us in this moment.

January 2021: Smart Goals

 

We have made it to January. Congrats!!! I hope that no matter how you are doing physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually that January is off to a good start.

If you are still seeking some resolutions for the year in addition to my theme of Belonging, Boldness, and Joy I have several daily tasks. You can use these as another way to think of resolutions.

1. Doing two fitness tasks per day. Right now this has been Yoga With Adriene who has a really cool January series called breathe and doing a bunch of 15 min dance fitness classes I have found. I have set up this target so there is lots of flexibility. I go on a long walk -- It counts, I do an online fitness class -- It counts, I move lots of heavy boxes around -- It counts.

2. Doing three health tasks per day. For me these are take a multivitamin, drink at least one reusable water bottle of water, and brushing my teeth.

3. Doing two self care tasks per day. Like #1 this one has a lot of flexibility. 

4. Do one BBJ (Belonging, Boldness or Joy) task per day. This is a way to make sure I do one task that is in alignment with my yearly theme each day. 

5. Do two other tasks per day. This is absolutely anything else I do.

I have had different daily goals each month for over a year at this point but I really like my current list which balances structure and flexibility as well as long term and short term goals. 

Preparing for the year ahead and setting some targets which are reasonable to you will help frame 2021 as a year where you spent time on the things that matter the most to you this year.