Saturday, January 21, 2017

Darkness and Light

Post-inauguration thoughts...

I'm tired of worrying about my country. I'm tired of seeing my fellow Americans take bites out of each other. I'm tired of seeing such vitriol and hatred on social media. It wears on a person, all the negativity, all the ugliness. I'm going to back away from it all for awhile for my own sanity.

I tried writing tonight, tried to get my mind to focus on other, more positive things.

It didn't work.

So I'm sitting in bed, watching a classic noir movie, Fallen Angel, with one of my very favorite classic movie actors, Dana Andrews.

And I'm hoping tomorrow will be better.

But I fear it won't. I fear that this anger and divisiveness from every side of the political spectrum will continue. I fear all those who said that spreading kindness is the only way forward will forget those words the minute they disagree with a person. I've already witnessed it. And it grieves my heart.

Humanity can be so very ugly. So very dark.

But humanity can also shine so brightly that the light drives out the darkness.

I want to be the light. But there are times I don't have the strength to shine. The darkness is too heavy and I would rather hide.

Like tonight.

There will be days ahead where we will all need to fight the darkness and be the light, no matter who we voted for, no matter what we believe.

We are all human beings, made up of darkness and light.

May my light shine brighter tomorrow and may the darkness recede into the shadows.




6 comments:

  1. This is beautiful, and so how I've been feeling. I've seen people I know who were friends devolve into anger towards each other that just... it shouldn't happen. Please please, may my light shine brighter tomorrow and may the darkness recede into the shadows.

    Love "Fallen Angel" :-D

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    1. Thank you. It's just made my heart so heavy. I ended up unfollowing people on Twitter or FB so I didn't have to see their rants.

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  2. Hello Melissa, I'm over in the UK, I felt the same over the Brexit thing.
    People turned on each other, and even now months on, there are still people behaving badly over how the vote went...

    Like you, it made me very unhappy, I also felt threatened by people I thought were friends, who turned away from me because I didn't vote the way they did...

    Like you I also couldn't take anymore, so I changed how I watch the news. I don't even check in every day. I rarely read papers now, but it's taken me many months to get to this stage.

    I walk more. Getting outside is the best medicine after laughter. I listen to music. I sing in the car on my own, or I dance around the kitchen when no one is home.
    I write in 15 minute bursts. Sometimes I do three a day. Sometimes I only do 1 or 2, and that's okay for now.

    Do something that makes you happy every day.

    And yes, be kind to people.

    If you keep a journal, why not write all your feelings down, write it out of your system.

    Good post - thank you for sharing.




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    1. Hi Maria! Thanks so much for stopping by. I do have a journal and I've poured a lot of angst into that, as well. :) I follow a lot of people from the UK on Twitter and the whole Brexit thing brought out the same type of stuff as did our election. I just wish humans could be kinder to each other. :)

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  3. This post was a light, Melissa--and the comments are really encouraging, too! I have felt so much the same way. I keep finding little bits of hope, and I'm holding onto that, instead of being disgusted by the way that may people--both conservatives and liberal--seem to care more about being victims and spewing hate than they are in helping their neighbor.
    Reading helps--not the news, though! I try to let my husband filter the news for me, so I get what's important without getting a side of anxiety attacks. Books, new wonderful books and old favorites; scripture; poetry; Shakespeare; history, with its promise that good does win out eventually.
    If you ever need a listening ear so you can vent or cry or beg for random funny toddler stories, please feel free to email me. faith(dot)hough(at)gmail.
    And hang in there.

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    1. Bless you, Faith, for being a light yourself! You made me smile and reminded me that there are so very many good, wonderful people out in the world - like you! THANK YOU. :)

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