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This is not the one I wanted to send 💔
Hi friends,
I’m sure your heart feels as heavy as mine. Sam woke me up early this morning to tell me before they left for work. I let myself sleep in. I took Hazel for an impromptu walk by the River. It’s 78 degrees in New York. On November 6th.
I was hopeful, but I’m not surprised.
In 2016 I felt incredibly optimistic- I remember putting on red lipstick and taking a selfie. That night at my local bar, as the numbers rolled in, our drinking changed from celebratory to solemn sedation. I drunkenly walked my neighbor home and made out with her on the front steps of her apartment building. My shock shook me. I realized what a liberal bubble I’d been in my entire life.
Yesterday walking to my polling site felt like going to the dentist. I just needed to get it done. Forgetting my sticker- I started crying the minute I left the building. I walked the long way home. Things feel darker this time because we know what to expect from him.
I notice that many people I follow in the coaching/healing/wellness space haven’t said anything about the election. This is purposeful- people with large accounts don’t want to alienate one side or the other. I have to tell you- it bothers me. I’m not sure how you can claim to be a spiritual person or leader who talks about personal development and not address an event that will have very real impact in our lives.
If I’m ever quiet on something, it’s because I don’t want to add to a cacophony of noise, when I know my readers agree with me. I believe America’s encouragement of rugged individualism has played a part in getting us here.
We exist in the context in which we live. So if you’re looking for a coach who will tell you to put your blinders on to call your manifestations in, I’m not your girl.
“This will be the golden age of America” DT says.
Things they want to happen—
-nationalize the abortion ban
-eliminate the Department of Education
-massive deportations / halt immigration
-take away the affordable care act (other weird health stuff??)
-ban gender affirming care and take away LGBTQ+ marriage and family rights
-do nothing for climate change
The list continues.
A win in New York: Proposition 1 passed, the Equal Rights Amendment. This enshrines protections against discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
I am grateful to live in a state where my spouse and I feel safe (9 times out of 10) and are protected. I pray for our queer siblings in red states. My heart hurts for them. I am determined now more than ever to use my privilege to help others. I want my work to have an impact. I sincerely thank you for reading and engaging the way you do. Let’s use this rage for good.
Let yourself grieve and rest. (Really)
We have a long road ahead.
Don’t let them win.
“In times of dread, artists must never remain silent. This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That's how civilizations heal”.
-Toni Morrison
Sending you love + resilience,
Caitlin