No ICE, Thank You

 

I have not always felt this way

about ice

no strong opinions

on whether a drink needs a cube

or not

but now,

now that ice means 

terror

violence

even death

to anyone who disagrees

who says "not in my town"...

now i have a strong opinion

about ice

I do not want any

As Gary and I sat eating our breakfast, we talked about the importance of doing what is ours to do in this critical moment. There are many ways to protest, to stand up for our neighbors, and to speak up for justice. The key for each of us is to figure out what is our particular way of making a point against the dismantling of democracy and the concomitant power grab that is going on.

Today, as I write this, there is a call for a national strike - no work, no school, no shopping. It got me thinking about other ways we can cast our vote for democracy. Other actions that might be noticed, if enough of us participated.

I turned to Gary and said, "what if, when getting a drink at a restaurant, or cafe, pub, or party, we simply said, 'No ice, thank you.' Would that make a point?"

"Wow! It sure would, especially if it caught on."

Maybe I am getting ahead of myself, but I can see something like this spreading across the country. If everyone who disagreed with what ICE is doing put a hand over their glass at every opportunity, and said, 'no ice, thank you', it could be a reminder that we can choose to say no.

This may not make a difference to the powers that are attempting to unravel our country's integrity and systems of justice, but it would be a way to signal to our friends, neighbors and the folks we interact with, that we stand against the cruelty and violence that ICE is perpetrating in our communities. More importantly, it would be a way of reminding ourselves.

So Much Space: An Exercise in Trust

 

So much space

expanses of time

breathing room, for sure

but for what?

Leaving work life

I imagined

opportunities 

unfurling at my feet

showing themselves

in splendor and possibility.

I find myself 

weighing the choices

looking far down each path

but more unsure than Frost

which one is for me

where my destiny lay

that "one wild"

and don't forget, 

"precious" life

I long for

and imagined

was searching for me.

Now,

here I stand

arms open

expectant

heart welcoming

daring to hope

seeking a glimpse

of what may come

into this space

that is my life

Trees and I

I have a fondness for trees, 

a relationship, really

as it goes both ways

between trees and me

as I walk through the woods,

it is common 

for me to speak 

to the trees as I pass

reserving particular attention

for the elders,

those who have been around

for a while

wisdom seeps into me

as I walk by

reaching out

to caress the bark

of sister Pine

as I prepare to step over the stream

to touch the leaves

clinging to brother Oak

despite winter's chilly winds 

The quiet

the peace

soaking into me

in the forest depths

heals something within

that I did not know needed healing

 

In This Moment

In this moment

all seems well

I am warm and well fed

I have a place to lay my head down

In this moment

I have all that I need

but if I look beyond 

the immediate present

out into the world at large

my heart starts beating quickly

anxieties arise.

So many things I used to count on

freedom

justice

compassion

law and order

are blowing in the wind.

Innocent people 

are being shot

by government agents

black and brown people

are being targeted,

harassed and questioned

new immigrants

are being deported

for no reason

except that they

do not align 

with racist ideals 

of what Americans

look like

speak like.

In this moment

all may seem well

but trouble is close

breathing down our necks

we dare not ignore

the signs

of an approaching storm.