We're the Light in the Dark

On January 8, two days after the violent January 6 coup attempt at the United States Capitol, I was still reeling between fear and anger, sadness and relief.

Fear that the unthinkable happened in our country.

Anger about the hateful mob, the elected leaders whose repeated lies stoked this hatred, and the glaring White privilege of both groups.

Sadness over the resulting deaths, including two Capitol Police officers.

Relief that it could’ve been much worse with many more fatalities.

I wasn’t sure how to process these jumbled feelings. After all, just two days earlier I wrote my New Year’s blog about how “love” for ourselves and others should be our theme for 2021.

And while I was in this WTF just happened space, a message came to me. Literally.  

I reached for something deep inside a kitchen cabinet and a little piece of paper fell out. It was a temporary tattoo I bought years ago, in part because I loved the message, and in part to try to fool my kids into believing I got a real tattoo. (They didn’t buy into my ruse for even a second.)

The tattoo says, “Be the light.”

The broken parts of the Capitol are symbolic of so much that is broken in our country. It’s not going to be fixed overnight.

But if we each become a light and come together, then we can shine brighter than any one of us separately.

As it turns out, my January 4 blog was both fortuitous and timely in a way I didn’t imagine.

So, let’s get to work healing ourselves and healing our country and the world.

As always, I’m here to help.

Hugs to you. ❤