IN THE DARK

 

(The New Yorker, 12/16/24)

That would explain a lot.  

It really has been dark.  And a little off kilter.

 

The day after Election Day 2016 was kind of a dark day.  For me, of course, it was pitch black.  Ken had died a few days before.  Felt like everything was going to hell.

But we get used to things.  

Bizarre as it first seemed, so much is normal now.  Normal, meaning expected, accepted, even.  Who would have thought!  But the future is almost always different than you imagined.

The day after Election Day this year turned into a bright day, in fact.  Only because my daughters and I were in Provincetown, and Provincetown tilts in a different direction.  Everyone who was in town that day and the next couple of days felt like they were, or could be, our friends, and the feeling seemed to be mutual.  It wasn't dark at all.  

One of many trails around P-town.

 

What's not to like!  Once so familiar, yet none of us had been back here for years.  We covered, I was informed, some nine miles of hiking (or maybe that was only one day's worth?), climbed the P-town monument, visited every gallery, ate, drank. It was the start of Food and Wine week, a last blast before things begin to close down for the winter.  It was also open gallery days.  Much art to see.  The vibes were good, much warmth amid disappointment.

Back home now, the dark makes being home feel kind of good.

Family feels good too.

Thanksgiving, Button Bay

We don't talk much about politics, aside from the occasional comment.  I've been hearing that a lot of people are pulling back from involvement, accepting the inevitable, I suppose, or just weary.  I'm almost eager for T's term to begin so it will be over all the sooner.  (But, oh, maybe it won't really be over; maybe there won't be a way back!.)  For now, anyway, the issues that existed before are still there, projects we were busy with before we'll keep working on.  What will happen, how changed the world will be, we can only guess.  I worry about the wobblier issues, like the environment, like saving our wildlife, an issue likely to move down on the list of political action. Here's just one example of one of those issues  that risks being sidelined:

"In Vermont it is legal to use hounds to hunt bobcats, foxes, bears, coyotes, raccoons and other animals. Hounding involves hunters and guides using packs of powerful, radio-collared hounds to pursue wildlife until the exhausted, frightened wild animal seeks refuge in a tree –  if they are able to climb – or turns to fight the hounds. Once the animal is treed, s/he is an easy target for the "hunter." Animals like coyotes and foxes who are unable to climb, are chased to exhaustion until the cornered animal is ultimately descended upon by the hounds.  This cruel activity is nothing less than legalized animal fighting and is endorsed by Vermont Fish and Wildlife."  ( from protectourwildlife.org)

What should our priorities be?  

Confusing comments pop up on social media, made or 'liked' by friends, liberals all, suppporters of the right and the good.

Or: 

"How do you make a dumb and indifferent nation care? The critics of Brown [John Brown] and Mangione insist they have the answer, but when you listen to them, you hear them telling us to keep doing what has not worked. Say what you will about violence, you cannot deny the truth of the old media adage: “If it bleeds, it leads.” (Liked, on Facebook)

What to make of this?

Guess we're still in the dark.  For now.