I just got my first shot of the vaccine today, and I was feeling pretty tired afterward, which is why I didn't have anything up earlier today. I'm sorry for those of you who were expecting something more, but I figured it might be nice, before March is gone, to reflect a bit and to ask that if you saw something this month that gave you hope, or made you happy, that you reach out to those groups and offer assistance in whatever way you can manage.
I spent this morning talking with my step-dad, just listening to him recount thoughts about Vietnam and his war experiences and how our movies and media don't always do a good job of showing the human sides of conflicts. We often get so caught up in partisanship that we forget that there are human beings that are often suffering or dealing with the consequences of the laws, wars, and decisions we make. I remembered, too, a time when my dad told me about a situation where he was forced to watch as the Viet Cong army murder people because they had helped Americans and other foreigners during the war. I can't imagine having to let atrocities happen because doing otherwise would get many more of your own people killed--having to let others sacrifice their lives while you watch. I don't know what kind of scars that would leave on me, but hearing about the George Floyd case and Derek Chauvin being on trial--the young woman who video taped it all..... I can't imagine the trauma of that experience that weighs upon her--the guilt that haunts her for not doing more, even as many of us are grateful for the fact that she documented what happened that day. Suffice to say that I begin to understand that pain, but not in any real way, and again I am grateful that I haven't had those experiences. I know that if it eats away at my soul even a little, the feelings of those who have experienced it are a thousand times worse.
And yet, just as there is actual death, there can also be a more subtle death of someone through depression, self-loathing, and marginalization--being told over and over again that you are worthless. We need to do better, and we need to believe that we deserve better which is part of the reason why I've been sharing so many of these causes to celebrate over the last month. Each of them, I believe, helps to give life to people--to remind us that we are not alone, that we are not powerless, and that our voices, however small, can change the world.
As I wrote to a friend less than a week ago, we mustn't give in to the idea that our actions are useless. We must continue to work to promote the causes which we believe in, and even if our life's work seems as though it did nothing in a greater context, we have still touched the lives and the people around us in ways that we will never fully know. So to all of you out there despairing: don't give up hope. Remember that you are the light in the darkness, and even at your lowest point, you have changed the world just by being here. Your story is important; you matter.
Tomorrow is The Planetary Society's day of action, and I really hope that our congress people will listen to the joy and wonder that space exploration and space science has given to those who go to speak with them. And if you get a chance, and you love space and science as much as I do, please consider joining in by writing a letter or calling your representatives and senators. Heck, even if you want to talk about something else besides space, take a moment tomorrow to champion those causes that are important to you. It may not seem like much, and you may not think you're heard, but I can assure you that you are. What you believe and what you hope for is just as important to our congressional leaders as their own thoughts. It helps them know what to talk about, and what to work on educating us about. It helps them to know when their messages are failing, and when they are resonating. And it's always pleasant to get a message from someone who cares passionately about something for which they are advocating--far more pleasant than getting e-mails or messages from corporations, lobbyists, or monied interests.
Last, but not least, please remember to be kind to one another. I know, sometimes, it can seem like the world is against you, or that the changes that you've been fighting for are impossible, but the world is full of good people--people who care, and people who believe in the importance of equality and the power of choices and opportunities for everyone; they believe in the strength of democracy, and aren't simply looking to prey upon your weaknesses. To everyone, I hope you will offer kindness and the benefit of your perceptions. The only way a voice can be heard is if it is willing and able to speak. So I hope you will speak the truths that important to you, but also be kind enough to listen to the truths and the hopes of others, too (unless they are just promoting hate, fear, and bigotry, at which point, I hope you will stand up against those things no matter what you believe.)
I've been hearing a lot lately about judging others--about how, often, we tend to promote our own ideas based solely on the experiences we've had. We tend to want to assert truths in order to ascribe blame or assuage our own pain or guilt. In our hunt for justice or perceived righteousness we fail to see someone as another human being, and in so doing, we create cultures of hate. I'm not saying that we shouldn't judge wrong actions and hold people accountable for them, but perhaps it's time we took a moment to consider how our actions affect others. Maybe if we did that we'd consider our own failings and mistakes and be a little more empathetic toward others.
In short, please be kind to others; your choices affect a lot more than you can know, and if you ever doubt that, look back on the ways that other people have affected you and the way you look at life because of them. If nothing else, that should give you a reason to want to be kinder.
And here's a picture of me with my vaccine card--my first dose done!
Let's head forward into April hopefully, mindfully, kindly, and purposefully!
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