Now that it’s lighter outside when we get up in the morning, the sun shines through the attic window and turns all the tiny particles of dust in the air into little shining stars. Charlotte asked if they could play in the dust after breakfast, and I of course obliged and decided to bring my camera upstairs instead of the vacuum. After breakfast, the sun was higher and there weren’t as many “stars,” but Chuck quickly figured out if she started jumping on the bed, she could make more.
This morning, as I sat having breakfast with my daughters, I needed this analogy, that light and joy exists in dark places, and that we can do something to make it brighter. I was surprised at how emotional this election was for me, from the elation of voting for a woman to be president, to the despair of my late night web page refreshes. No. No. No. It’s easy to be cynical about politics, to disengage, but it’s nice to realize that I still really do care. That I still believe in America and this system of democracy that is polarized to near immobilization. I tried to get all my sadness out last night, so I could wake up and start planning today. We sat at breakfast, and we talked. First, we talked about the H word that Charlotte has been experimenting with using lately. Hate. We’ve had a lot of conversations about that word lately, but today, that word took on a severity that could not be overlooked, won’t be overlooked. Then we talked about love. How can we show love to those around us, especially the ones who aren’t white, the immigrants, the LGBT, the poor, the less able? How can I teach my girls to go high? I don’t have these answers, but I have a few small things in mind we can do this week. I’m going to try my best to not become comfortable, overwhelmed, or complacent, but instead focus on the little things we can do to make us feel empowered and to make others feel loved and supported. Ultimately, that’s why I feel hopeful today. I know there were many conversations like this at breakfast tables all around the country, and I know there are plenty other nasty women with their own dirty houses, who are going to jump on their beds and make more stars out of the dust.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kdenke/30873138615/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kdenke/30836666896/in/dateposted-public/
All Mountains and Molehills 
the only advantage of (early) winter is that sun that invites to us through the window, they surely had a great time catching stardust 🙂
i feel like the whole world’s fearful, voting to extremists, conservationists, anti-difference.