Dread and Beauty

Try as I may, I cannot help but have deep feelings of dread as January 20th approaches. While I limit my time reading the news to keep my (relative) sanity intact, we all know that the Orange Nightmare and his Orcs are poised to wreak havoc on society, especially those already most marginalized and underrepresented. He and the other White Supremacists have been sharing their ideas for years and (t)Rump’s collection of buffoons, zealots, monsters, idiots, and yes-men, all interested in the same thing has him—themselves—are a rogues gallery of the manifestation of the worst values anyone can hold. Their agenda—and their mere presence—is an insult to all I hold dear. This guy is certainly the worst, but, let’s face it, I’ve not been a fan of any politician in leadership in the USA for a very long time.

I have no illusions that the USA is an actual democracy (not even close) and I am all for the end of capitalism. I find it absurd when people call the US the “greatest country on Earth”. It’s actually a laughable concept! I am horrified by our statistics on gun violence, health care, maternal health, climate change contributions, war machine spending, etc etc etc. This place is a freaking nightmare and (t)Rump is going to bring it all to an apex that will see uncountable harms inflicted on people we know and love. As well as people we’ll never know but also should love.

I’m glad that classes start next week so I can get my weekly dose of hope from the young people I work with who want to engage in the world in meaningful ways to bring about necessary change. I look forward to being around colleagues who also care about the state of the world. Obviously, I won’t be watching the inauguration of the rapist. Instead, I will be plotting with my fellow peace educators and justice activists on how we can bring a better world into being. (Actually, I’m thinking of starting a monthly “virtual hang” via my Peace Education Center for just this type of communing. If you are interested, let me know.)

But even with that, we still need to quell the dread and find methods—both publicly and privately—to deal with what is about to unfold. Thus, I have been focusing on beauty.

Just this past week, I was tasked with finding music for the local Italian Foundation’s Spring Fashion Show and so, I allowed myself to dig into film scores and albums and artists that reminded me just how much beauty there is—and can be—in the world. I lingered over my favorite Italian film composer Ennio Morricone listening to themes from Cinema Paradiso, The Mission, Malena, and Once Upon a Time in America. (My word, that man stirs the spirit like no one else.) I also listened to other Italian favorites by Mina, Rafaella Carra, Jovanotti, Lucio Dalla, Natalino Otto…and many others. It was a beautiful reminder that amidst all the horrors and ugliness in the world, great beauty exists and we need to drink it in (and if we can, create it).

And then yesterday, my daughter and I (and her boyfriend) went to see the magnificent film Flow and while I cried my eyes out at times (the star of the show, a black cat, looks exactly like my dear departed Mazza), I left feeling so hopeful. The film is spectacularly beautiful; the animation, the score, and, of course, the story. It was a reminder to find the people who manifest beauty in your life. Those who support you, who you can learn from, and who you can collaborate with. It was a reminder to look up and around, to discover, to linger, to engage and observe, to risk, and to be open to love.