Friday, November 2, 2018

Gold

I'm working at my dining table, next to my expansive window, outside of which the trees have turned to spun gold. Earlier, before I moved with my laptop from the desk in my bedroom, a moth flew in through my window, it's wings were gold glitter, so shimmery I thought at first it was a butterfly. I tried to shoo it back out the open window, but it dodged me and flew under my bed. I decided it was a blessing.

The TV is set to the news, turned down low, a hum in the background. Every so often something jumps out: The reporter saying that 45 viewed that slaughter in Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue as "inconvenient," a distraction from the story of the caravan "invasion." They're talking now about his plan to send 5,000 troops to the border, and to open fire on the migrants if someone throws a stone, which I take to mean that someone will surely be planted in the crowd to throw a stone. Of course, this caravan of asylum seekers will not arrive at our border for two months yet. Imagine, if instead of troops, we were the kind of nation that would send lawyers, social workers, doctors and teachers to the border, to help those whose desperation has led them there. But the election is next week, and so 45 is trying to whip his base into a frenzy of xenophobic fear and outrage, and we saw the sorrow that brought to Pittsburgh a week ago.

And yet. All this gold in my morning, like a whisper of something good in the world, telling me my efforts, small as they might seem, are not in vain. Do what you do, it whispers. We all have a part to play in turning this national nightmare to spun gold.

12 comments:

  1. What a perfect and beautiful piece on how to go on and do good even as things seem impossibly insane.
    I love you so very, very much.

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  2. It's shocking to hear that he calls himself a Christian. Really? Poor Jesus, I'm sure he expected better. The man makes my stomach turn and turning on the news in the morning feels more like "What stupid/ignorant/racist thing did tRump say today?"

    I am hopeful that the American people will rise up and hamstring his efforts to turn the US into a fascist country.

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  3. I won’t turn away as much as I want to. I stand witness with you.
    Love
    Rebecca

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  4. Golden dreams are all we have at this point. All the work I could do has been done. Now it is up to all those people I talked to. Wishes abound.

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  5. Thank you for this post...it, in itself, is spun gold.

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  6. Yes, gold. Today when I walked alone because Roger had minor surgery on his back, the wind picked up a bit and the red and gold leaves were literally fluttering to the ground like colorful snowflakes. I was so grateful. Yes, spin it to gold. Vote them out. Turn it blue.

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  7. our troops have to go where they are sent but the rules of engagement for our troops prevent them from firing on unarmed non-combatants. one post I read by a soldier in Afghanistan said they had rocks thrown at them all the time and they were not allowed to fire back so hopefully that will prevail no matter what Trump tells them. and of course, the very next day he was saying he 'hopes' they don't fire on them. just saw a news item that loads of heavy equipment is being airlifted to San Antonio.

    that gold is gorgeous, what a view. we don't get fall color unless we have a quick dip down to the 30s before all the leaves fall anyway. once in a while our ginkhos will turn golden.

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  8. "We all have a part to play in turning this national nightmare to spun gold."

    As I look at your dining room table with its view of the golden trees, I feel peace.

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  9. What a beautiful view you have! All I could do on my part last week was to vote, and pray for the families that lost loved one in Pittsburg. I hope with the change of the season there will be a change in politics...

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  10. The colours of this time of the year are so stunning. Some days I feel like piching myself, no paint shop could compete.

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  11. So enjoyed the book STandng Our Ground that Lucia Kay McBath wrote with you. I see she won her Congressional seat. LN

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  12. Congratulations to Lucia on her win! It's a bright spot badly needed by this Floridian. And yet more senseless gun violence in California, no words left. So afraid to hope for anything on the recount.
    Thank you for sharing your beautiful fall colors, I miss them so. b
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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