I’ve been digging rather deeply recently to try and find the good stuff in the world. I’m sure I’m not the only person to say that life is currently pretty tough. Coupled with my husband’s illness and our financial stress, the wide open spaces of the unknown this year in all capacities; and you got yourself a big old stress fest, that never seems to leave you even in sleep.
I toss and turn, blaming the border collie on my feet for my white nights and wondering at the disturbing dream set in which I seem to continually be the main action figure. The moon smiles brightly in the window over my head, as if to say, “Yes, I know you are troubled. Have some more light to keep you awake.”
But there are always others with more troubles than your own and the pulse of America was beating hard in recent days with sadness, injustice, civil unrest and uprisings to add to this strange of strangest of years. I was concerned when I heard that 2,000 people were going to be bused into our small town for a “Black Lives Matter” march. There’s nothing remotely wrong with people protesting; it’s an important feature of our democracy.
However, the looting and destruction in so many other places gave us considered cause for concern. Buildings started to board up their windows, folks closed their businesses and gave the employees the day off. I needed to work; so I thought it best to go downtown and guard my plate-glass windowed storefront and hope to be pleasantly surprised. I really was.
The march came along in all shapes and colors with signs and doggies a part of it all. There was a respectful police presence and no unruly behaviors of any kind. It was actually quite moving to see the young people find their voices and show up for a cause they believed in. Here’s hoping they keep showing up like that. With the November ballot box just around the corner, it’s past time that everyone got up out of their chairs and became involved for the greater good.
This was the first week I ever took a knee in my life and I did so at the march in my small town. I am a huge patriot and this had nothing to do with not respecting our country and our flag; but supporting the rights of other human beings whose blood is the same color as mine will always be a priority for me, and it felt like the right thing to do. A friend participant of the march told me that it brought tears to her eyes, seeing me by myself on the sidewalk on one knee, as the march went peacefully by.
This was also the week that I got my first Covid test. Listening to our governor talk about the importance of getting tested for the statistics and the continued re-opening of our State geared me up to go and get it done. Super easy. Google “Greenfield, CA Covid testing,” (located at the Greenfield library). Fill out a short questionnaire and choose your testing time. I was in and out in about five minutes.
I felt almost as if I had done my civic duty and I urge others to do the same. There are so many variants to this unknown beast of a pandemic that we all need to give the powers that be whatever information might be useful to them, as we navigate these uncharted waters.
One good thing I will say about this very peculiar week was the opulence of our cherry crop at Solace. I have never seen such robust, sweet, dark beauties. We picked a whole load for cherry jam and we ate a whole load more. Husband made a delicious spicy version and we still have our trees swaying with their bounty. Even our peckish birds cannot keep up! On the tail of our “Covid Cherries,” we have a whole tree-load of “Pandemic Plums” ready to give us more bounty.
With all the chaos in the world, try to focus on the good stuff where you can and show up for rightful and constructive protest, whenever possible.
