A sliver of hope?

Dawn this morning came as a crack in the darkness. I couldn’t stop staring. Would the fog lift? Would the darkness close in on the light? I subscribe to a daily poem, and today’s poem seemed apt. It’s “An Ode to the Joyful Ones”…”Because you don’t have to tell them to walk toward the light.” The poem, the literal crack of dawn.

As the day went on, it became less beautiful, and I had more need of joyful ones. I’m helping to organize a memorial for Malcolm. People’s feelings are raw. This one feels left out because they weren’t consulted, when the one who didn’t consult them didn’t want to ask too much of them. Walking on eggshells. Looking for places to dump anger, grief, fear.

Fear is dominant in the USA right now. People are being picked off the street and disappeared without due process. Doing my laundry, I was approached by a neighbor whose laundry was tampered with last week. Someone tossed chocolate all over her clothes in the dryer. Now the chocolate is caked on. She can’t get it off. It has made stains on her clothes. “Is because I Chinese? I wonder.” I can’t say anything but sorry, terrible. “Hate,” she says. “There is hate here, and now it worse. Boss man tell them hate is good thing. So they look for ways to hurt people.” 

I can’t argue. I only grieve, listen, tell her I’m sorry, and she’s right.