It’s time to rekindle my creative self. I love to write, but the muse has been hiding, waiting for some positive energy to emerge from somewhere. Since the 2024 election, I have been searching for the good I know exists in the populous. I see small pockets of empathy, positive activity, loving gestures. Mr. Rogers’ advice to look for the helpers is important for this time. The temptation to hibernate, avoid potential negativity in gatherings of diverse people, has been appealing. However it isn’t my nature to sit back and let the world implode. 

We joined a protest last week. It felt good to be part of a gesture that was replicated many times by millions of people in the US on Saturday. The next scheduled date for a Hands Off Our Democracy protest is April 19th. We will look for a location near us, and we may even create signs to carry. My causes are multiple: Education [Department of], Public Libraries [funding], Public Broadcasting [funding], USAID [funding] Alliances [Nato, UN, foreign aid [funding and participation], Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid [funding], Veterans [funding for hospitals and families], National Parks [funding for upkeep, employees], Welfare of the homeless, Environment: clean air, water, forests [Protection and attention]. In every instance, employment, support, serious needs have been ignored or attacked. 

For the world’s formerly dominant nation’s people to be exploited by its government is unconscionable, unconstitutional, and cruel. For the US to ignore the needs of its allies defies belief. The people will not accept the idea that tariffs are good; it will be obvious when price increases place the burden on the US citizens, not the foreign nations.