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Being a good citizen is not a spectator sport, so that means whatever happens on Election Day it becomes all about adapting and keeping on moving forward (not backward!) for me.
But, before going there ^^^ ... we
all have our own work to do to make a smooth transition! My work includes an after November 4th Sacred Native Tradition “smudging” to clear the air, which I am going to share with you a bit
further on.
In
the meantime, my sister has a favorite expression I have come to depend on at the end of of a work in progress that I just have to stop "perfecting":
It’s Christmas morning, the presents are under
the tree and there is no time left to do another thing. We,
as Democrats will arrive at that place when the polls close on Tuesday.
About
a week before any Election Day, my brain begins to mentally prepare for the transition to come:
“Do
all you can until the polls close and then it is Christmas morning,” a small voice in my head says. As a
result, I gradually being to process, while
still working my backside off for my party because, as someone once
said ~ it ain’t over ‘til it’s over, ESPECIALLY in any runoff races that may
result! It's not pretty, but processing rarely is!
First,
after a moment of grief, for I always lose something, I re-accept my role as a participating citizen who believes in the system and who
recognizes systems are only as good as
the people who run them and, win or lose, I do not stop working to hold my elected
officials accountable and/or to continue to elect the best people into public office
possible.
Second,
2016 begins to, sporadically, flash in the back of my mind a bit more
forcefully.
Third,
while at rest, in the back of said mind, I begin to imagine updated social media
profiles and profile photos.
Fourth,
while asleep, I sort out my thinking and begin to find my focus:
The Democratic Platform? Educating the
electorate? Educating main stream media? The Democratic Nomination/To be immediately
followed by the Democratic Candidate and Getting Out the Vote? All of the
above?
Fifth,
and last but not least, before the weekend following the election has passed ~ I
am quietly actively preparing for the next one…
Oh,
and as an aside, I will admit, it does sadden me that I no longer feel I can say,
broadly, may the best person win because nearly half of our electorate has
become so balled up with anti-government sentiment, ignorance, hate, and lies,
etc., the best is often no longer
the deciding factor in this country.
Now, for the after November 4th "smudge," which I, by the way, do mentally but you can do any way you'd like to, of course!
I
invite you to join me for a brief Ritual of Smudging and/or of clearing of the air after a hard fought political campaign and election – mentally envisioning clearing away all negative energy from the past months. Sage is typically used to
drive negative energy out of one’s space. (And many of us have come up against a lot of that!) Close your eyes. Picture a fire proof
bowl, a sage stick, and a gentle feather; Picture lighting up the sage and
using the feather to direct the smoke away from you, sending the negative
energy with it; Picture breathing in and exhaling out the fresh, new air you've made room for in your space; Picture carefully extinguishing the sage stick in its
fireproof bowl; Picture gathering up your strength and ~ move forward when you are ready!
May we all win in 2014 and may we all come back and win some more in 2016!
G.
(*** Links to some of the information I've used ~ I'm afraid I do not have links to the Native American images connected to the smudging, as I've had them so long I've misplaced by, but if someone knows the sources... please share and I will correct immediately! TY!!! http://bloombety.com/cutest-christmas-gifts-for-christmas-tree-decorations/ http://blog.brainhq.com/category/cool-brain-tricks/ http://savingslifestyle.com/2012/12/recycle-reduce-reuse-sweaters/ )
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