Two mind-shifting, spirit-lifting things for a long week

What's keeping you afloat these days?

Just popping in quickly to wish a hearty thanks and welcome to everyone who has found their way here, as well as a small bit of encouragement.

For one, while I know it’s not much, the first week of these next four years—this long, horrible week—is technically almost over. At the beginning of the week, I was reeling, careening really, toward despair. But I wanted to share two things that shifted my mind and lifted my spirit in tangible ways.

The first was that despite the rumors about faculty meetings being cesspools of derision and tedium, my wise boss and colleagues hosted a heartfelt conversation this Wednesday about what kinds of educators we want to be this semester. And I realized how distinctly important and empowering those kinds of questions are in our current political climate. Not only was I inspired by the abundant adjectives, lofty aims, and generous perspectives of my colleagues, but I realized that I am not alone. I am surrounded by people who are also struggling, yet striving, and they’ve truly got my back.

I wonder if Bishop Budde asked herself a similar question before she preached on Monday. But even more than that, I wonder what question you may ask of yourself this year:

What kind of parent, spouse, community member, leader, etc. do you want to be?

It’s just about the only therapy hack I know—even when we don't have control over so many things—we do have control over who we choose to be to each other, and I would argue that it matters even more so in these dark times.

The second thing that lifted my spirits was that after the faculty meeting, we gathered to celebrate the career of a colleague who had devoted twenty plus years to education. And witnessing the legacy of that wonderfully eccentric woman and listening to the toasts that called forth both raucous laughter and gulping tears, was deeply cathartic. It reminded me how much we must go on being human together, precisely when executive orders that aim to dehumanize, intend to tear us apart.

This all seems too simple, right?

But a question about intention and a celebration healed me a bit this week.

I’m not neglecting my advocacy, of course. In fact, I’m looking forward to doing a post on how to call your member of Congress, which I will continue to do every week.

But these were the simple things I didn’t realize how badly I needed. And I needed them, too.

This, too: Long walks in the snow and these bird prints for whatever reason are bringing me such salve. Photo mine.

So what’s keeping you afloat these days?

Please share yours in the comments. We could all use some encouragement. We could all use a lot more humanity.

Do you have an answer for who you will be? I think it matters. I know it does.