Beloved

Last week I caught my little guy's cold, of course. 

It hit both of us hard and fast and it's not one of those quick colds that moves on and out with me as usual.

Though I managed to finish one fleece and start a second, which really is a big accomplishment in our household these days, I didn't manage to do much else. 

Saturday I was all prepared to join my family in my home town for a vigil in support of the 

Women's March in DC

However I knew Friday I was too sick to leave the house. 

Instead I spent much needed time sleeping which helped me get over the worst of it. 

And in between naps, I stayed caught up with my friends' live videos,

which gave me 

chills. 

Then I saw the crowds.

ALL     OVER     THE     WORLD

On every single continent no less. 

I was proud and inspired and uplifted 

and it was the first time since that horrible day in November where I walked to the ferry in shock and witnessed people CRYING

Now these feelings I had after the march weren't, 

"oh. everything is ok now."

It was more of a stirring and realization of the power of what 

TOGETHERNESS 

can do. 

People didn't get together only because they despise Trump's rhetoric.

But to stand up and say, "Yes, we see you won this particular seat. This particular role, that has been the most powerful one in the world, 

However, we'll be DAMNED if we sit back and watch you destroy systems we have in place that 

WORK

and that give us a 

SAFE HAVEN

Planned Parenthood and the ACA for one.  

Now, there is A LOT wrong with our country and always have been. 

But the amount of very difficult changes President Barak Obama managed to succeed on bringing, 

cannot be compared to any other President. 

This election showed us and the world that we, as a nation are as divided as ever. 

It brought to light some serious dark and ugly nastiness that has been laying dormant since 

the time Jim Crow was dismantled. 

The week following the election, I was lit with so much fierce anger that people, in my country, were so heartless to ignore and even prefer possibly the most fake man ever to seek the Oval office. 

All because they HATED the Clintons THAT much. 

Because they HATED a black man being president. 

Because they HATED the idea of a WOMEN being in charge. 

Because they turned a blind fucking eye to the hatred for others this man has. 

Because the fact that he has verbally sexually assaulted AND physically sexually assaulted numerous women- means nothing. 

Because this man spread hateful lie after hatful lie about a man because he didn't have a white bread sounding name. 

What I saw was a complete lack of integrity and respect by choosing to look the other way while a man bragged about his power to grab a women's vagina, whenever he wanted to, because he was famous. 

Lack of support for their neighbors who are Mexican and Muslim, while this man tore this ethnic and religious groups apart over and over. 

No, no, it doesn't matter because we can't have a women in the Oval office.

And we hated having a black man in the Oval office. 

And the INSANE thing is, 

he didn't even win the popular vote. 

The majority of America spoke and we were betrayed by own 

"Democratic" System

I  WAS  PISSED

However, me being pissed could only last so long. 

I've never been that angry in my life. 

Turns out it's not too good for mu body...

Unless, I'm working out. 

Then I'm working with a new fuel. 

I still knew within a few weeks that I needed to recycle my angry energy into something

useful. 

Maybe even Powerful.

Then one morning while driving south to visit a dear college friend for the morning,

I was listening to one of Krista Tippett's Podcasts with 

Vincent Harding.

From there, I knew what I wanted to say

and I posted it on the 1st Advent 

~You Are Beloved ~

To my Black sisters and Brothers whose ancestors were torn from their homes to be packed into ships and sold like objects, all to serve the white man, all over the world. To you now as you suffer the loss of your own through police brutality, mass incarceration, and systematic racism; You Are Beloved. 

To my Native American sisters and brothers whose homes which I stand on now which where taken from you in the most vile way. As you continue to stand up, as I write this, and fight for our country’s drinking water with fierce resolve and the utmost bravery; You Are Beloved. 

To my Muslim sisters and brothers who have come to America in the search of the VERY SAME PROMISE my ancestors came to America for, and to those of you still in your homeland fighting for your lives, to you and those you’ve lost; You Are Beloved. 

To my Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Queer sisters and brothers, who’ve fought so hard to live your truth in the open with out fear, to serve in the military, to marry who you love, to simply be as you are; You are Beloved. 

To my Jewish sisters and brothers whose ancestors were born persecuted. Who’ve migrated all over the world to escape persecution. Whose survived Nazi Germany and beyond. You and those you’ve lost, You Are Beloved. 

To my Refugee sisters and brothers who have left your home in order to save the lives of your own and your family’s, whether by your own volition or through the help of others, to those of you who have suffered even more unfathomable loss while on your journey, to you and those you’ve lost; You Are Beloved. 

To my sisters and brothers who have suffered sexual abuse at the hands of either strangers to you or the most trusted people in your lives, and who have felt so alone because not even those closest to you have believed you; You Are Beloved.

You Are Seen.

You Are Heard.

You Are Loved. 

You Are Cherished.

now, onward.