What can I say when I shouldn't be silent?
I don't remember a time like this.
My aim for this new writing project is consistency. Some weeks are harder than others but I’ve tended towards a decent routine. Now, with the world around us unraveling into hate and chaos, it feels a lot tougher to get words out. I know I have friends on all sides of this and would appreciate kind, constructive reactions if at all possible.
What should I say when I shouldn’t be silent?
I’ll keep this brief.
I don’t want to write. I would rather hide, doomscrolling away and coping badly while looking at—and tearing myself away from—the news.
Hiding is cowardice, though. It is, on every side of this thing.
If you love all that’s happening, I wish you’d scream it out for the whole world to see. Show me an alternative where this isn’t all ending badly. Give me hope and give all those who are even more poignantly terrified a reason to believe that there’s good intentions behind all of this.
I don’t understand the hate towards people I love. I love lots of people and they all look different. I have absolutely no hate in my heart for people who don’t look like me, don’t love like me, or don’t live the way I choose to. Addressing those that might love all this that’s happening: I don’t understand but I’m ready to forgive and move on if you decide you can love again. Because this isn’t love that’s happening right now.
What can I do?
Nothing, I’m pretty sure. We’ll fight, yes. And we’ll adjust to make the best of any of this. We have before. And we’ll hug those around us and offer refuge from a world that is so terrifying.
On the large scale, though, I’m nothing. What I can offer is community and not much else.
In my community and around me, you’re welcomed. I don’t know that any of us now can keep each other safe but we can try.
To all those around me who are scared for their whole existence: I am profoundly sad that we’re here. It appears that we’ll have to keep going down this terrible hole of hate to get through. With me, at least, you’re always welcome.
As a community, we’ve lost livelihoods already. We’ve lost autonomy and choice and given in—complying early, it seems—to a regime that is filled with hate and loving of control.
I don’t have answers and I wonder if these words just become part of the noise. But saying nothing would be even less worthwhile.
If I can do something to help, please let me know. And know that I’ll keep welcoming everyone in, building this community and holding on tight to the love around me.
Provided I can find the words, I’ll write about what we can do through all of this. I know we can love each other and I know that we can share and show that we’re not all like the leaders who hate so many of us.
Thank you for being part of all this with me.