Monday Morning Musing: Why vs How

Almost every conversation I've had of late, save the quotidian What do you feel like having for dinner? or Is it garbage or recycle pick up this week? eventually winds its way to the election. People are genuinely anxious. Many are terrified. Most fall somewhere between the two. In my role as Momma, friend, spouse, and pastor, I am often asked where I am finding any hope in these days. Or I'm asked to offer a word of hope. I told my precious daughter yesterday that when I need to quiet my mind and spirit I either meditate or scroll through Pinterest, looking at photos of beautiful places. Those beautiful places will exist no matter what happens on November 5th. Unless, of course, we just finish the job and burn the planet down due to our ongoing neglect, misuse, and abuse of the land because its inconvenient to take care of creation....and.....that's how my mind is also working these days.

There's a lot at stake here.

I'm also trying to only read those people whose research and wisdom offers helpful insight. Heather Cox Richardson and Joyce Vance are my go-to's. I'm turning off and tuning out the television pundits who yell at one another. I'm selective in the print media I read, although it would seem that many of them have misplaced their integrity of late.

My own reality is that I am a person who wants to know why. Why is this happening? Why are the polls this close? I've always been this way. When I've been grievously wronged in life I've often first and most urgently wondered....why. As if understanding the motivation would make it any less heartbreaking.

The only reason I can imagine that explains the why of why would anyone consider voting for a convicted felon who intends to take away our basic civil rights is two-fold. And I say this after great thought: One: There are some people in this world, who have sociopathic tendencies that are finding a voice and a groove and leverage in that former guy. Psychologists will tell you that TFG is an off the chart sociopath, but those on the lower end of said chart have found a way to amplify their own voices in his echo. Two: People are afraid of what happens if those they have othered for so long become the ones holding power in the world. Obama's presidency looks more and more miraculous in these days and this fearful backlash abhors the idea that anyone who is not a white male could be in charge of charting the way forward for this country. Shouldn't she be in the kitchen getting another beer for me? And if you think that's just the OWGs, google "trad wives" and see who's on this bizarre bandwagon. Oops, sorry. My mind, again.

But here is the how for me. How I believe we have a path forward that walks in righteousness, which is such an old school Biblical term, but works exactly right for me at this moment. The how is that I believe there are more people than we know/have polled/have interviewed/have conscripted to sit on a television panel who are willing to vote for democracy. Who are willing to keep women's reproductive rights and rights for the LGTBQIA2S+ community, and refugee rights and the rights of the poor to have a fighting chance at the forefront of who we are as a people. Oh they might be quiet about it or they might be out protesting or they might be spending this week making phone calls and mailing postcards and texting and sending emails. But I believe they are going to vote in numbers we've not seen before.

Another how for me is perhaps expected, but let me explain. I am praying my butt off. Pray without ceasing? Yep, I'm here. And it's not that God will magically move every lever in the voting machines toward justice, but it's that the hearts of the people of this country will do it instead. I'm praying when I get up and when I go to bed. I'm praying when I watch the people drop their ballots off at the ballot box at the church where I serve.

But how will we get through this? The next eight days. The next couple of months. God forbid, the next four years. Together. That's how. Together in this day and the next day. Together with our friends and families and framilies and beloveds. But not THAT family member, you know, the crazy uncle or his equivalent who brings his conspiracy theories to the Thanksgiving dinner table like a bad green bean casserole. Oops. Sorry.

Dear ones, if you feel that you don't have someone to talk to about this and you would like to talk about it.....call me. If you don't have my number respond to this post and I'll send it to you. Or I'll call you. We need each other. We need to remember that we've come this far and we've walked through hard and terrible things, not always understanding why, but always knowing that together is how we make it through.

I recently got to spend time with some of the

smartest, wisest people I know. Friends for

a long, long time. Together...that's how we do this.