It dawned on me this morning that the country is in the vice grip of an abusive partner.
It is almost paralyzing, numbing, defeating.
Who will believe when oppression seeks redress?
The abusive partner is a charmer, is charismatic, is connected.
So of course no one will come to the aid of those most harmed by the one who claims to have all this power.
In some sense, they are right.
We have 500 years of those siding with that control.
But here is the thing.
They only have that ability because of fear.
What will they do if?
How much can they harm us if?
Where will we go if?
The paranoia is what has created this massive syndrome of this mindlessness, helplessness, just barely breathing state we are observing in the country.
It doesn't have to be this way.
Like most bully's, they are petrified, so they bolster and booster and blow hot air hoping that the force of their wind is enough to knock you down.
Get up.
Turn around.
In an almost whisper, say No. Enough. Not anymore.
And take your life back.
It may be as little as contacting an official to alert them to the situation.
It may be preparing your escape to a safer place.
It may be bringing reinforcements to protect you in the leaving.
It is not helplessness.
It doesn't have to be.
That is what they thrive on.
For the past few months, I've been trying to make sense of what is happening around me and realized, America very much is like an abusive partner.
And the leaving partner, the awakening partner, the vocal partner is in the most harmful way when they wake up.
But it is only temporary.
It is an illusion.
They are only supported in this because they have us collectively thinking about what they might do.
We know what they might do.
So move anyway.
Speak anyway.
Prepare anyway.
I have no idea what the next few months will entail, but what I do know is if we don't stand up and resist, it will never change.
So use your voice.
It may quake.
It may quiver.
But use it.
We may not know what life will be on the other side of that grip on the soul, but what we do know is that it holds possibilities.
Possibilities of being unafraid, unencumbered, untethered.
To wake up and breathe freely.
To walk freely.
To speak freely.
To love freely.
To exist as the universe intended when. your being took that first breath.
There is still a way.
You, me, we, just have to take it.