A Word From David

Like bread, we cannot live on hope alone. But without it – be it bread or hope – life is not worth living. The challenge these days lies in figuring out what is bread for you. What feeds you and gives you hope?

Matthew Black house concert.

We gathered with friends and family last night – MLK Day and the day when the oligarchs assumed power in DC – and sang together.

The news of the day is awful. Full stop.

We are walking in deep darkness these days. How we respond is up to us. Despair is an option, but it is also a dead end. Violence is an option, but another dead end -- literally so. Withdrawal is an option, but one reserved for the privileged who will not be among the first targets of the oligarchs.

As King said, “darkness cannot darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

But not love as a sentimental feeling. That’s fine for Valentines, but it will not change anything that needs changing because it leads into private and exclusive spaces. Only love as an active intention that leads one into the world can change the world. Love empowers.

Organizing shapes that power and sustains hope. Organizing doesn’t have to be focused on issues or, directly, on political outcomes. Last night we were organizing to share beauty and create community. That feeds the soul. It is the bread we need to break together.

Creating beauty is resistance to counter the brutal ugliness of this moment. Creating beauty also turns our attention away from that ugliness, and thus also creates space for renewing our souls.

We can’t ignore the news of the day, but we can adopt strategies that keep us informed but not overwhelmed. The firehouse of outrageous statements and actions is strategic. It aims to keep us from creating alternatives. It aims to make us too exhausted to dream.

Dare to keep dreaming. Share your visions. If all we do for the next four years is shout back at the outrages, we will remain mired in despair. Only our dreams of a future otherwise will sustain our hope, and give us the energy to build amidst the rubble.

Pitch your tent amidst the rubble. Gather new foundation stones. Even as the world is burning, we can build a better home for us all.