Out of office Friday - nail painting in some fall colors, Asbury shop day and lunch at OC Cafe with Lori and Carrie, a small rest, the Stephanies arrived, boardwalk night for Angelo's and seasonal pumpkin/cinnamon Kohr Bros and The Islander, Melissa arrived. Full and lovely day.
Saturday Block Party Day! A great up and back, moving right along, a few purchases, a delicious hotdog, lots of time to chat together.
Sunday donuts on deck! To share. The Stephanies and Melissa left, and I worked for a few hours. Lori, Carrie, and I took a beach walk later in the day. They left Monday and the house was spic and span for people coming in this week - THANK YOU Lori & Carrie!!
weekending reels on Instagram - current favorite weekend look back mode.
One of my favorite annual weekends to spend time and laugh and chat.
This week though, this week!
I held many thoughts for Aunt Carrie Saturday, as it was her life celebration.
Monday was John Bender's sixth birthday. I was missing Mae, we always celebrated their birthdays together. And my forever friend Melissa celebrating her Rocktober birthday Tuesday!
Red October.
I didn't hear the full brunt of news until later on Monday morning. Just an untenable and unimaginable situation in the Middle East. My head has been down in my neck ever since, and I don't know what to say, just hug emoji'ing my Jewish friends out there and feeling grossly inadequate in my response. The attacks on Jewish people are extremely frightening given the rise of antisemitism globally - and quite shamefully here in our own country where vile people have shown out with Nazi flags and graffiti and engaging in anti-Jewish hate speech - in recent years. Add to that Holocaust deniers and people who would like to gloss over the real history or rewrite the history of seemingly everything right now in this country and around the globe and what the fuck are we doing here, everyone? What the fuck are we doing. What are we doing. Dehumanization of ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE is not the way and never has been. It never has been. Have Jewish people as a group not suffered enough?
As in all violent acts of terrorism and war, innocent people suffer. Innocent Jewish children. Innocent Palestinian children. To be alive in a time when you can watch the suffering unfold minute by minute is really a mindfuck. The fucking kids! The people parenting and caring for the kids and trying to keep them intact in the face of extreme aggression and violence. I hate feeling helpless as people try to survive unimaginable situations and we sit on screens watching. The naked humanity calls out to the humanity in every one of us as fellow humans.
War is hell. Terrorism is hell. Oppression is hell. Human suffering is hell. Suffering because of where you happen to be born or live or because of what your government is doing is hell. Our consumption of the human suffering of others on small screens we can watch 24 hours a day is hell. Trying to rationalize shit like this is hell. Sitting with your teeth in your mouth feeling the crushing weight of this violence and instability while your heart breaks for innocent people in the crossfire is hell.
At this point in our evolution, should we not be past war? Past killing innocent people. Past hating each other because of religious beliefs or culture or looks. Past oppressing people. It is a deep, deep punch to the gut that leaves me breathless and without any real words when I realize we are not past these things.
Sending peace and love to everyone who needs it in this world. Stay human. Recognize the humanity in others beyond religion, borders, looks - recognize hearts. Be a soft space when you can and lean into soft spaces when you need to. I'm holding space for the humanity, healing, dignity, liberation, and opportunity for all people to live free from violence and fear.
