Dear Friends,
As you may (or may not?) know, my husband and I participated in the Women's March in D.C. this past weekend against the better judgment of many people in our lives. The ten-hour drive we made to the D.C. metro area on Friday night followed by the return ten-hour drive understandably drained my energy levels. You can't skip sleep without feeling tired in the days following.
But my lack of sleep isn't the only thing draining my energy. Disparaging comments all over my social media accounts regarding the march and what it stood for have also been doing their part to keep me up at night. People I consider family have been indirectly calling me hateful and telling me what I do and don't stand for as a member of the march. (i.e. Apparently I stand for abortion, have no problem adding to environmental concerns, and did not vote. Plus, cat ears are porn. What?!?! This is all news to me.) People, namely my friends and family, are passing around lies and half truths that they gleaned from the media's representation of the event.
Then when I call them out and say "Hey! – That's not really what the march was about" and proceed with facts; then, they unfriend me.*
My. family. unfriends. me.
No discussion.
Because, due to my political viewpoints, I'm suddenly not worth knowing.
*headpalm*
I sincerely hope that I am the only one facing this. No matter what your political stance, you should always offer understanding, love, and respect to your family and friends. Even if they disagree with you, they probably have your best interests at heart. ❤️
.
.
.
Then, because my week couldn't get worse (and I know not all of my readers will agree), the issues Trump has been working on sicken me to my very core. Pulling from the U.N.? Continuing the Dakota pipeline? Trashing healthcare without an alternate in place? Putting up a fence? Hating on the media? Deciding that Americans don't care about his tax records?!?! I mean – what the heck?!
I know I need to be calling my representatives. I know I should have cared more about politics before now. I know that not everyone will always agree with me.
And yet.
So, if I haven't been posting, as usual, it's because I couldn't find it within me to be awake 😉, or to be happy and perky.
It sucks to have concerns about where the US is headed and no outlet for expressing them. Or, when I do express them, like by peacefully marching, to be called hate-filled and have my concerns carelessly tossed aside like a bag of trash.
If you have friend and family that hold different political stances than you, try talking before you jump to conclusions or unnecessarily insult them. Be respectful and kind. Love first.
(Does that make me a hippie?!? 😀)
* It's worth noting that I typically keep my opinions to myself on social media. Prior to the march, my last post was in May when my brother graduated.
