A New Dawn Rises

The emotions have been a whirlwind. I started writing this post several times and each time I stopped, not sure how to proceed. How can I feel such confusion at a time of such global joy?

First there was immense relief. I, like millions of others, underestimated this relief. I began to sob, uncontrollably. That response brought home how horrible these past four years have been. The abject cruelty of this administration and the witness, often in disbelief, of those who support him took more of a toll than expected.

Biden and Harris were not my first choice. To me, they represent everything that is wrong with the corporate Democrats and the party that supports them. But they are better than that horrid human who’s occupied our White House for the last four years. And I am very grateful to have a women, a biracial woman, in the White House. Yet, they do not support the progressive policies that I feel our country needs to become as great as it likes to claim it is. This confusion that I felt (and continue to feel) helped me realize that I need to untangle these thoughts because they will interfere with the work that is yet to be done. The bottom line is that we can move forward and work towards dismantling systemic racism in our country with this administration. Not something we could do with the one that is leaving. And we must put in place aggressive efforts to end our use of and dependence on fossil fuels. Dismantling our military industrial complex would go a long way to improve our standing in the world as well as allow us the basic human rights of universal health care and education.

Watching the entire world erupt in jubilation and celebration as we prepare for the departure of this destabilizing person, and all the evil he surrounds himself with, I realize that for now I will join in that celebration. Because it’s been a long, lonely, scary four years. I will rejoice in the fact that I will not be waking up each morning with a stomachache and a growing feeling of dread for what the day would bring. And that is something worth celebrating.

May we each have the ability to make time to stop and enjoy this historical moment. Then we promise to pick up where we left off and continue our work because this administration will require it from us.

In love, peace, and unity,

Mary