Yes, I can remember at times being so angry that I couldn't speak, couldn't act. It was as if a fog had moved in and seized my brain, my mind. And, if I could act, it wasn't what I would call good action, good speech. I can remember making things worse. Staying calm and focused, however, allows me to be thoughtful in action and speech. I can make better decisions about what to do and what to say. Or, in some cases, the best thing might be to say nothing and do nothing because it's not my place.
We may feel, by standing firm, that we are the sole person facing off the mountain. But facing the mountain begins with one person who may very well soon be joined by others. The story that's told is that people say why vote, one vote won't make a difference. My question for them is, if everyone who thinks this actually voted wouldn't it make a collective difference? Isn't standing firm in fierce opposition a way to show love for your country? For the world? I receive lots of emails every day asking me to sign petitions, to send money. I chose which ones to respond to, and frankly, more often sign petitions than send money. I sign the petitions with the hope that a lot of people signing them might very well make a difference. If no one signs, then no hope that a petition might make a difference.
The first photograph is by Paul Gilmore and the third is by Mpumelelo Macu. Both were found on unsplash.com. The second image is from my book, Opening the Heart: Meditations on How to Be (here).
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