Heavy Heart 2018

I find myself sitting in front of the key board and, once again, I don’t know quite what to say. The recent events in the news, the bombs mailed to an enemies list that included past Presidents, current members of Congress, and a news organization; a shooter who appeared to target only those whose skin contain more melanin than his, and shot and killed two African American grandparents who were grocery shopping; a gunman---spouting conspiracy theories and acting out hate-- entered a synagogue and ruthlessly murdered people at prayer; these acts are beyond imagining, let alone understanding. When the weapons of war are loosed on people at play, in our schools, at prayer; when human life is taken with such utter contempt---it’s easy to fall in to despair. It is easy to say that we live in a sick and twisted world, that things are rotten and getting worse, that the center cannot hold. And while it’s understandable to lose heart and despair, that statement is a Big Fat LIE.

Last October, I was trying to write a column about the Los Vegas Shooter, and I wrote “The world is not a sick and twisted place—that individual was. We don’t know his full story and I won’t use his name---but he is not who we are, his acts do not define Humanity. Humanity is beautiful.

Humanity shines in darkness. Humanity shows up to help. Humanity covers loved ones and strangers alike with their own bodies, a shield made not only of vulnerable flesh and bone but of indestructible, enduring Love. Humanity refuses to leave. Humanity stays with the fallen, giving first aid, carrying others to safety. Humanity lines up at two a.m. to give blood, stands in lines for hours to make that happen. Humanity weeps and mourns and comforts each other.”

It is October, a year later. It is easy to focus on the Darkness, the things that divide us; and when Darkness comes, it is too easy to consider the black and despair. But there is Light, and it destroys the darkness. You just need to look for it, to focus on the Light.

There is a tradition in the Jewish community of performing good works in memory of a lost love one instead of placing flowers. I invite you to fight the darkness by spreading kindness, by doing a good deed, by helping others. Make a point of doing something positive for someone else this week. Fight back against the darkness with Love.

Fred Rogers—Mr. Rogers--- famously said of disasters “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” And that is true. Humanity shows up to help. And that, my friends, is a beautiful, blessed thing. Be what is best about humanity—be a helper, give love, spread kindness.

Vote November 6

I voted today. 

Right now, some of you are probably saying, “Dang! Was that today?”

No worries, you haven’t missed it, Election Day is still more than a week away. I took advantage of the ballot coming ahead of the Big Day and filed it out already.

Voting is a lot easier with mail-in ballots, you don’t have to get out of your jammies to do it, or get a sitter for the kids, or catch a ride, or any of those other, pesky details that are often a part of leaving the house. All you need is an ink pen and your voter’s pamphlet—you don’t even need a stamp anymore!

As convenient as all that is, I still kind of miss heading out to my local polling place—for me it was the Senior Center in Packwood. The line was never too long, and it was fun to chat with my neighbors, and buy some bake sale goodies. Usually, I had to undergo some gentle chiding by the sweet—some not as sweet—little old ladies who were tasked with implementing the voting process. Seems I was always the last in my family to vote and they always pointed it out to me that everyone else had already managed to vote by the time I showed up. “Best for last!” I would proclaim and sign the book.

I can’t say I liked punching the metal stylus into the appropriate slot next to my candidate’s name—on more than one occasion I had to request a replacement ballot. Once because I didn’t properly insert my ballot and so all my votes were “off” and once because—well, I’m very pretty, have I mentioned that?

But the very best thing about going out to vote was getting the little “I Voted” sticker afterwards, sort of a good citizenship gold star. Walking around the grocery or hardware store afterwards, I felt this real sense of shared community, all of us sporting our democracy participation awards.

I think I’ll write a letter to the fine people in charge of elections and suggest they include a “I Voted” sticker with our mail in ballots next time. Some things are just too good to be improved on, and “I Voted” stickers are one of them.

Mobbed Up Commie

I am not now, nor have I ever been, a member of the Communist Party.

I mean, I like parties—especially the kind that serve cake. I often joke that I would join any committee that serves cookies and have served my share of time on a wide variety of committees, with an array of cookie types. For the record, Tea Cakes are my favorite.

I’ve been a lot of things in my life: daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother. I was once—albeit briefly—even a Girl Scout. ‘’Be Prepared, is the Girl Scout motto, and I occasionally was. I was not prepared, however, to *sell* cookies, I was more prepared to *eat* them, and my time as a Girl Scout had a sell-by date.

In the early ‘70’s, I became a card-carrying member of the Young Republicans. I sent Ronald Reagan’s failed presidential campaign a whole dollar—which my father gave me, probably some sort of campaign finance violation, now that I think about it-- and they sent me a Young Republican’s card. Sadly, no cookies came along with it and, perhaps for that reason, political activism took a back seat in my life.

Until now.  

These days, my political activism has climbed out of the back seat, hollered “Shotgun!”—which is what you say when you want to sit up front, but not yet behind the wheel—and started paying closer attention. I care where America is headed.

I subscribe to the radical notion that libraries are A Very Good Thing and that our tax dollars should continue to fund them. I believe that children are our future, that we owe them clean air, clean water, and renewable energy sounds like a good plan to me. I believe that education is the great equalizer. I believe in the humanity of all people, where everyone from every walk of life, has a shot at the American Dream; that we humans have more commonalities than differences; and that elk are the juvenile delinquents of the animal kingdom and are delicious when served with gravy.  Pretty much most of that aligns with the Democratic Party—I’m guessing the Elk Thing, not so much-- and while I don’t have a card proclaiming me to be a “Young Democrat”—or even a middle-aged one—that’s probably how I identify. I don’t think that makes me a member of a “mob”, as the POTUS called me—I think that makes me a person, and American who plans to “vote Blue.”

Carolyn Long, People over Politics

 I have met both candidates for Congressional Dist. #3, but it’s been a couple of years since I’ve seen Jaime Herrera Beutler in person. I have been frustrated with her unwillingness to meet with her constituents and hear our concerns. “We the People” are her boss, after all.

 I am very impressed with challenger Carolyn Long’s background as an educator. The fact that she literally teaches a course in “Public Civility”—how to go out into your community and have difficult conversations—gives me great hope for healing our divide. Heaven knows we have a lot to bridge. 

Cookies would probably - couldn’t hurt, either.

Math Apology

I owe Math an apology.

Math has never been my native tongue, and---tongue in cheek---I have, for years, mocked math; laughing at the punch line “how many pancakes will fit on a roof?” And “Then the devil said, ‘Let’s put the alphabet in Math!’” All very fine jokes, all very funny. (As long as you remember to carry the one.)

But--turns out--Math is important. Math is found in Poetry and in Art; in meter, in symmetry and proportion. Math has its own beautiful language— “algorithm” for example: “a procedure or formula for solving a problem.” Who wouldn’t want a problem solving formula? A Formula 410, if you will. I’ll take a case, please.

Words have always been my preferred language. And I lift my words now, in support of Math.  And History. And Music and Art and Science; Science that can explain to us some of the beauty and mystery of life. Science does not take away the mystery of Creation, it enhances our appreciation of its miracle. Science matters.

Math matters. History matters. Music matters. Art matters. Words matter. Education matters.

Today I lift my words in appreciation of education---yes, even you, Algebra. And I will vote YES for these things; YES for Education, YES for schools. Because schools matter. Children matter.

Dear Math, I hope you can forgive me. I’d like to be friends. I’m voting YES.