The last twelve months had lots of challenges for the country - impeachment, election, racial justice protests, wildfires, hurricanes, and coronavirus. The fragility of our government and the partisanship of the people who live here have been laid bare. We are not United. We have work to do.
Individually we don't have the capacity to process all the information we need to make good decisions and adequately address all the crises facing us today. They're big questions about huge ideas: freedom, democracy, ethics, and justice (as a start). What is the relationship between people and government? Who are citizens? How is power attained and who serves the powerful? Do we serve power by choice? What 'rules' do we follow by choice and by habit, and do those 'rules' serve us? Do they serve me? Everyone makes individual choices about the society they want to live in. How does our government reflect my societal values and my personal values? How are resources allocated? Is planet Earth our partner or do we plunder it's resources without care? How can we live in harmony?
Each of those questions is reflected through our lives and how we choose to live them.
Once we've thought about those questions the next step is to put the ideas into action.
The last year has given us a lot of opportunity to make the world a better place!!!!
On a personal note it looks like I skipped coming up with a theme for 2020. Maybe I had an inkling that anything I planned would come to naught.
I completed two classes for my UW degree. Political Ecology of the World Food System was shocking and eye-opening. Neoliberalism and globalization have done so much more than I ever imagined. I have been living under a veil giving me a warped view of how the world works. The difficult part is that I did know and I still didn't get it! I took off summer and fall quarters because I was overwhelmed with news of the day in addition to the subject matter of the classes for my UW-ISS degree.
My favorite teacher left the UW. I'm still disappointed and sad about it. I valued him highly and I wish they did too.
Personally I was most affected by the events around racial justice when, in quick succession there were three events that opened everyone's eyes: George Floyd - killed by a police officer, Ahmed Arbery - killed by vigilantes, and Christian Cooper - false assault accusation by a white woman. And then it kept on happening...Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake to name two.
In 2020 I discovered that my thyroid stopped working - or needs help to keep working. So I take a pill every morning. I mention it because I'm surprised that I've managed to do it. Last year I would have bet I couldn't do anything every day for a month, let alone the rest of my life. Now I've done it for four months and if I can do that - what else can I do every day? What other good habits might I create for myself? I did it by creating an action - when I brush my teeth at night I move the pills to the front of the sink so I can't help but notice in the morning.
Normally I enjoy the solitude of my life but this year the isolation made it clear that I don't have people in my life that provide day to day interaction. I've always known I wanted a Number One and didn't have one, but this year I realized how important it is.
A benefit of 2020 was that many events that are normally held in person were virtual and I got to watch: New Yorker Festival, The Atlantic Festival, ACLU conversations, KUOW conversations, Hamilton, and I just watched a filmed version of Kinky Boots (West End). Fabulous opportunities I'm grateful for.
The events of this year brought sorrow and fear to many people. I wish we could hug each other.
I'm grateful for all the people who were brave and helped keep our country running throughout this pandemic - healthcare workers, grocery store workers, construction people, the government workers, the people who keep electricity running and thousands - millions - of others. Too many people lost their lives this year and it makes all these essential people's efforts more courageous. My contribution was that I didn't create unnecessary burden - I kept myself in my home and wore my mask. (I should have done more - there was more to be done. I am not brave. It is my shame.)
Thank you 2020, for opening my eyes, for challenging me, and for giving me time and space to know myself better.
Hello 2021!!!
For 2021, I have a theme based on two things I noticed in 2020:
1. I freely express my feelings for other people with words. I tell people how much they mean to me and share my gratitude for knowing them. At some point, though, words without action mean nothing.
Side-note: That's why folks respond negatively to NRA funded politicians sending their 'thoughts and prayers' to the victims of gun violence, for instance. The politicians have power to make change, but all they do is send 'thoughts and prayers'. If they really had thoughts and prayers they'd do something to make it stop...they don't.
I realize I don't show people how much they mean to me by my actions. I am inspired by MFKJ who created a quilt for me for my birthday. I am inspired by MSL who put together a family gathering at a park for my birthday in 2019. I am inspired by MFTM who cooked a bunch of food for LJB and put it in his freezer for him. (I don't want to be too hard on myself - I have shown love to my friends and family in various ways - homemade cards, going to events with them, getting together. I'm not consistent though, and it doesn't nearly express how much they mean to me.)
Years ago I wrote a little 'picture book' for myself of what my philosophy of life is. In that description I mention that love doesn't mean anything if its not expressed. The Big Bang was the ultimate expression of love energy exploding out into the universe. Expressing love through our interactions with each other and our creativity is our primary purpose in life. LIFE comes alive through our actions and expressions of Love - which is our essence. Eckhart Tolle says "Life is the Dancer, You are the Dance."
2. I have difficulty with effort - if something requires effort I'm less likely to do it. It's a problem. I don't do as well in my schooling, my work, or my personal life because I retreat from effort. I know my lack of effort is my way to avoid difficult things or things I'm afraid of. I also know that if I give effort I am showing love to myself - allowing myself to be the person the universe wants me to be. If I show effort (without fear!) I can more fully express my best and highest self.
Combining those two ideas, I came up with my theme...My Effort is My Love. Every bit of effort I make is an expression of my love - for myself, other people, the planet, and the love energy of the universe - which is all of us.
At the end of 2021 I expect I'll have earned my bachelor's degree from the UW. I hope that on 12/31/2021 I'll feel proud of how I've expressed love to myself and others in the previous 12 months. I'm creating an organization system and routines to help me stay informed without being overwhelmed. I want to be more aware and intentional in prioritizing how I use my time. I have lots of work to do and I'm eager to make the effort!
I wish all of you moments of love, peace, and health in 2021. I wish for everyone that you have a safe place to live, food that keeps you healthy, and equal opportunity for education and health care. The world isn't perfect yet, but I will do my best to help make it so.
