After months of anger, self-reflection and the realization that I have to calm down in order to survive the next four years, I have come to a conclusion.
Yes, I have discovered a philosophy that will guide my behavior and activism over the next four years.
Admittedly, I am one of the millions of people who have woken from a long political slumber.
I now realize it is the people, and the people alone, who can make the government accountable.
Just like RISE and the other advocacy groups in Newburyport, I know it is my responsibility to stand for what is right in the face of hate speech. However, if activism is going to be effective over the long term it must be sustainable. That means it has to be woven into everyday life. My strategy? I am going to live like a crocus. (Except for the covered-in-snow part.) Even though crocus is the earliest spring flower, I believe this philosophy will serve me well year round. Here is why it’s going to work.
The crocus, a mere 5 or 6 inches in size, pushes itself through dirt, snow and ice to appear at a time when the season seems most dreary. Tired and worn out by winter, we know Spring should occur but we certainly don’t believe it. Then all of a sudden, this tenacious little bloom bursts out of the snow, reminding us that Spring was there all along; it just needed the right conditions to show its sunny little face.
I will be like the crocus and push my way through dreary daily news toward the light.
Crocus can weather an occasional frost and even a light dusting of snow.
Go ahead politicians, frost me with your idiocy and chaos. I will thaw it with hope.
Crocus bulbs should be planted in groups or clusters. Single flowers get lost in the landscape. They are best when planted in groups of 10 or more.
People are like that too. We will bloom more forcefully if we find strength and beauty in groups.
I am going to implement my strategy by taking advantage of every beautiful thing the Greater Newburyport area has to offer.
I’m not going to take it for granted any longer. I’m going to walk the rail trail and stop to appreciate the sculptures along the way. I’m going to take guided bird walks in the reservation on Plum Island and learn things I don’t know. And I’m going to sign up for events during the Literary Festival, not just read about them in the newspaper. I’m going to read the flyers on bulletin boards at the supermarket and coffee shops and attend some of those events to meet new people and experience new things. In other words, I am going to fully engage in this beautiful community in which I am so privileged to live.
Part of change is connecting with all types of people up close and in person.
Of course we all have social media accounts, but we are not designed to communicate solely through digital channels. Human beings are social animals. Our brains are designed to decode the facial expressions and body language of other humans. Without that we miss the richness of human communication. We remain devoid of the full spectrum of human interaction and the fulfillment it can provide. There is a reason why every scientist and physician on earth says that socialization is the key to healthy aging.
Just one more reason why acting like a crocus makes sense. Crocuses are part of the iris family that includes 90 species of perennials.
Perfect. Diversity is strength. Different people, religions, and colors should come together as one.
I think this is a plan that will work, and it’s not as crazy as you thought, is it?
While we stand up to be heard, and demand decency, fairness and a humane approach to policy, (not to mention a free and open press) we can also seek the light.
We cannot be sucked into a dark vortex that sucks all the oxygen out of the room. That is a recipe for disaster.
Join me, won’t you? Become a crocus. It is said that in the language of flowers, crocus means cheerfulness. That’s a great mantra to fight against the ugliness and insanity that will visit us every day for the next four years from the many corners of Washington, D.C.
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