Joy and rage

What joy can I hold on to this morning?

Last night: A wonderful intergenerational dinner last night - mothers & daughters and our book lists, laughs about loving/hating cooking, toasts to celebratory life changes and sharing flavorful food - naan dipped in labna drizzled with oil, spicy calamari rings, green beans with rich pomegranate sauce, plates of roasted red and golden beets that I absolutely should have taken a picture of.

This moment: A made-at-home iced coffee with SO MUCH ICE and a swirl of cardamom syrup as some extra TLC.

Soon: Time protected today to volunteer - registering voters at the Food Bank with a friend, wearing our orange "Protect Democracy" shirts. Then a fairly easy afternoon, some time to catch-up on email and open hours to prep for a busy week next week.

Tonight: An adult sleep over at my parents - with good food, a Scrabble game, and an early bedtime with a book. How lucky am I to have this blessing?

And yet... 

My rage is simmering just below the surface. ICE murdering people and creating daily chaos, fear, and harm. Death of a politician who spread evil, abusing his positional power. Bombs exploding far from home, soldiers leaving long-time allied nations, the threat of war being tossed around daily. Surveillance cameras tracking humans, social media hurting kids - lining the pocket books of tech billionaires who tell us again and again, they do not care. And federal and state leaders who make me cringe (on a good day) and scream and cry (on too many days) - feeding us lies, deepening and multiplying injustice, and demonizing our neighbors. 

So I remember...

Look for the helpers. Darn it, BE a helper.

Breathe deeply.

Check in on people.

Cultivate light & love.

Read widely and share books with others.

Wake up each day believing in people power and that hope is a muscle we must exercise every day.

What are you doing to navigate these days? What is helping you, my Slicing friends?