Friday, November 18, 2016

we are ONE world

Where to begin...
I wanted to write something last week
but the heaviness enveloped me 
and none of the words in my head
made any sense.

Like many around the world,
my heart felt like lead in my chest.

I am only now beginning to breathe again.

The election results.
The death of Leonard Cohen.
Remembrance Day.
My heart shattered for so many people.
Those in the US who now fear
that their lives will change
drastically.
That families will be torn apart.
Millions of people now know that
millions of other people don’t want them there.

And as if that isn't heavy enough on its own,
they also know 
that the president of their own country
feels the same way
so that makes it ok
in the eyes of many. 
All I could think of the next morning
as I heard the results,
were the Jews in Nazi Germany in 1939
and how they were also made to feel
unwanted,
different,
less than.

How it all began
with the separation of "us" vs "them".

I think if we all knew more about history,
we would understand the gravity of the words:
let us not repeat the past.
I don’t fear Trump
but i do fear the monster he awoke.

He threw gasoline in the fire
and gave racism and sexism and bigotry
and the KKK
front row seats to the shit show.

(why the KKK is still a thing in the USA is beyond me.)
And now, both sides will clash
with venom and judgement and death
and the physical walls will mean less in time
than the walls being built 
in the hearts of a nation.
Nothing good ever comes from division.
We are ONE world.
Clearly, there is still so much racism and sexism
and fear of those who are different,
lingering in the shadows of the world.

Only now, they’re not so much in the shadows.
There are people 
who were born and raised in the USA
who no longer feel safe there -
who no longer feel like it’s home.
Those who voted for Trump
may not consider themselves racists or homophobes
but they consciously chose a man who is
and who built his entire platform
on fear and hatred
and dividing a nation
rather than unifying it.

But this was still ok.

A protest vote,
to stick it to the government,
even if it meant
putting other lives in the crossfire.
On Remembrance Day,
there were comments on social media
expressing gratitude to all veterans,
for what they sacrificed for our freedom,
and I wondered...
are we really grateful?
Can we really say "thanks for the freedom"
and then go on disliking those
who are different than we are?

Would we not be better to express thanks
by trying to understand one another
and treat each other as equals for a change,
regardless of race, gender or religious views?
I wonder why it’s still so difficult
for so many people
to work together
and see our similarities
instead of our differences.


Thanks for being here.
Wherever you are in the world,
know that YOU MATTER
and that love matters.

Now let the healing begin.
xox

8 comments:

  1. As one of the many women in the US that were stunned, appalled and incredibly
    disappointed in the election it will take a loooooong
    time for me to heal. I will hide and watch what transpires but I will NOT forget the sexist creep who was a candidate.

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  2. Your art work is always lovely, Pauline.

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  3. Love your beautiful art ❤
    Happy PPF!

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  4. thank you so much for this post. I’m from the USA (and born with a neurological condition which puts me in the “disabled” category…) and the events of the election have changed me. In a way, it’s given me permission to stop finally looking for the silver lining in everything and just admit that some situations are terrible and suck and the best you can do is get through them. Not every lemon can become lemonade- some low hanging fruit must be thrown straight into the trash. And there's some relief and even beauty in that, in letting things be exactly what they are instead of trying to whip them into something they really aren't. Thank you for expressing your support and authentic feelings about what’s going on- it makes those of us who are not pleased (understatement of the year) with the elected feel that we are less alone, since so many of our fellow countrymen do not have the same wish for inclusion and peace as we do. It's nice to know the rest of the world looks at this and is as appalled as we are.

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    1. I like the wisdom of your words: Not every lemon can become lemonade-
      Thank you.

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  5. Hello Pauline, warm greetings from Montreal, Canada. I thought the exact same thing when I learned of the results of the U.S. election. Hitler and WWII. This is such a beautiful piece of art and we all need love and peace, certainly not hate and violence. Thank you so much for sharing.

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  6. First of all the art is beautiful and your post reflects the feelings of millions of people around the world. I live in the US and for the first time I do feel unsafe. The young people don't understand the consequences of this. The battle that (what are government considers minorities) have fought to get this far and now it was all for nothing. The strangest thing for me is that people voted for a man that has never in his life been a public servant, has never held any type of political office, and is a hate monger. The gravity of his win will hit hard and strong and he will NEVER give up the power.

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  7. My dear Pauline. I didn't have the heart to read this post when I first saw it...I wasn't ready. Today, I am. And although I feel your disappointment and frustration at how things stand at this point in time, you words leave me more hopeful than before I read this post. As long as there are people like you who think, write and share the way you do, the healing will happen. Beautiful, poignant art. Hugs and lots of love. xx

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