Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Twas the week before Christmas


My mother and aunts used to say, if you have nothing positive to say, then remain silent.

And they also used to say that anything you say should fulfill a minimum of two of three conditions: Is it nice? Is it true? Is it necessary?

You'd never believe they actually tried to pass these ideas off on us, these six sisters who couldn't remain silent about their opinions if their very lives depended on it. They argued often, and with gusto, almost as much as they laughed, which they also did with great gusto.

Of course, my Aunt Grace also liked to say that differences should never be feared or avoided, because where there are no differences, there is only indifference.

I'm remembering all this today because I don't have anything positive or necessary to say about the state of our world. Everything I could think to say has been said, and I cannot imagine any solutions to the bitterness and violence that plague us. Bombs dropped on children in Aleppo. An ambassador assassinated in Turkey. Christmas shoppers mowed down by a truck in Berlin. And in the midst of all that, Trump was officially installed as the new president elect by sheep electors yesterday.

I am not indifferent. But I don't have a clue how to make any of it better. I have nothing positive to say.

So I'm remaining somewhat silent behind this screen, head down, doing my work, circling in my small space. I think we are all discombobulated. As long as I live I will never stop seeing the silent thousand yard stare of the dust covered, blood spattered children of Aleppo. As one reporter noted, Aleppo is a place where the children no longer cry.


7 comments:

  1. Exactly. Thank you for saying this. I'm speechless myself. And so disappointed in the world right now. It's nice to remember the voices of our loved ones right now, to think of love instead of everything else. xxoo

    ReplyDelete
  2. And what am I doing? Running away. Simply...running...away.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love these words of wisdom and feel you pain! In spite of the latter, I wish you a peaceful and happy holiday <3 Love is the what :o)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Today I looked at the new york daily news "2016 pictures in review"... They had me crying.... the next gallery was Aleppo "Before and After" photos.... :( what is our world coming too or has it always been this way?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you for writing, sharing your thoughts,
    and not remaining silent.
    People like me are reading, pondering,
    a small percentage of readers leave comments.
    It's a much larger space with collective energy.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I believe the world has always been this way; we just know about more of it because of the rapid movement of news. And unfortunately, I think it will always be this way. All I feel able to do is light my corner of the world as best I can.

    ReplyDelete