It’s so strange how much of a dichotomy we can be. How many different and disparate feelings can exist inside of a single person at the exact same time. I’ve got all of these conflicting emotions going on right now. Let’s start with the good:
- Joy because my wee lassies are back at school (and loving being back at school).
- Excitement for my hubbie because he’s going on a really fantastic work trip tomorrow.
- Happiness about the Summertime Sock Knitting Extravaganza and the prizes we are giving to winners.
- Satisfaction at the amount of money I’ve been able to raise for hurricane and flood relief by donating all of my pattern proceeds to important causes.
- Pride that I was able to do that, to donate all proceeds for this time period and it’s not going to mean that we are in financial hardship.
But then there are the opposite emotions, that I’m feeling at the exact same time, emotions that are inspired mostly by external forces:
- Fear and disgust about the fires raging in the Columbia River Gorge, forever marring that stunning landscape and threatening our safety and health. The skies are post-apocalyptic, ash has been falling like snow, and air quality is horrendous right now. Then there are the reports that it was caused by careless teenagers heartlessly throwing fireworks into the tinder box of the end-of-summer forest.
- Disgust and sadness about what our so-called president is doing. Like, everything he has done since take office, but most currently, the racist policies he’s hell-bent on enacting. His whole false equivalence of fucking Nazis and folks who oppose Nazis. Pardoning the evil racist horrible Sheriff Arpaio. Threatening the safety and comfort of DREAMers, people who are fully members of the American fabric, who contribute, who work hard, who care about their place in society. How in the hell can this ogre justify doing these things? What in the hell happened to the America of Barack Obama, where, even though perfection was a long way off, there was hope and love and an understanding that white men are not the only important members of society. That human rights are important, that immigrants are people, that refugees need support.
- Sadness and horror at the destruction in so many parts of the world due to hurricanes and flooding. That’s what I’m donating my proceeds toward now (it’s 50% of single pattern sales through 9/9), although so much has happened since I originally pledged that, I almost wish I had started with a shorter time line so I could do something for one of the other horrific things happening now…
Whew. Anyway, I’m feeling all of the feelings right now, and needed to get this out. Thanks for listening, and if you’re feeling the same way I am, even a little bit of SJ/resistance work helps a great deal. Resistbot is an amazing way to easily send messages to your members of congress and your governor. Text ‘resist’ to 50409 and the text prompts will get you on your way to armchair resistance.