On Friday, The Legendary Husband and I early-voted.
I’m hobbling a bit more than usual and the early voting site is a whole lot more accessible than our regular one. Also, faster!
There were more philosophical things on the ballot than there were candidate contests.
Things like education and equality and supporting the elderly.
And, I have 2 granddaughters growing up in this world!
It was an eye-opening experience.
Everybody there was intentionally supportive. Not just of the grey-haired grammy with the rolling walker gizmo nicknamed Sarah.
The poll workers and all the other voters were genuinely thrilled to see us. And we were thrilled to see them. All of us, with our different skin colors and traditions and experiences, doing – you know – America!
Kindly.
Which, I suspect you’ll agree, is quite the contrast to the news!
I’m also still getting myself back together after Tuesday’s encounter with trauma triggers and sleeping is hard. Grandmother Moon, however, is on the job!
Her first whispered message kind of confused me.
Jesus wept.
My immediate response – feel free to laugh! – was, The Waltons!
Really! The old tv series.
Virginia’s Blue Ridge mountains, during the Depression. A Sunday School event which involved memorizing Bible verses.
One of the little kids was struggling. The oldest sister came up with a strategy.
Jesus wept! She went on to explain that it was the shortest verse in the Bible.
John 11:35 to be exact. (And, yes… how short depends on your translation of choice!)
Lazarus of Bethany was dead. For four days. Mary and Martha were heart broken. Jesus wept with them. Out of compassion, I imagine.
Then… consciousness shift! And, I heard…
Even Donald!
This time it wasn’t Grandmother Moon whispering in my ear. Or John. It was, in fact, Joan Baez.
Another witness for the compassionate Jesus. The justice-proclaiming Jesus.
Which sounds quite different than the references to Jesus you may be hearing about from House Republicans with microphones these days.
I wrote these latest two words on an index card a year or so ago, and tucked it into the box where my essential oils rest, next to the magic chair. A borrowed prayer, if you will, on the days when swearing comes more naturally.
These days, I know more about that story in John’s gospel. The details don’t matter so much as the radical truth that there was more to learn!
That what I absorbed in some not entirely conscious state during my young teen years with Youth Group and The Waltons was no where near all of the story.
There seems to be quite the epidemic of that kind of blind absorbing going on these days.
Or, maybe, it’s actually just intentional vested interest!
And, if you’re at all like me, it probably feels really hard to juggle.
So… I invited my imaginary friend, Joan! (Even if you already know this one, it just might help a bit!)
New songs of resistance, if you will!
I’m going with this story! And, as I mentioned, I voted!
ps… the art is a second adventure with an Intentional Creativity® journey called StarSong. There’s more painting to do and, I suspect, some leggings to follow!
pps… your voice matters! Tuesday!!!
ppps… stay tuned! Volunteer Thanksgiving recipes coming soon!
