Picture taken on Election Day morning. Is the sky half full or half empty? Depends on how you see things.
TODAY'S WORD: la paix des choses sauvages
: the peace of wild things
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE
Have you missed me? Or have you been so absorbed in the election results that you didn't notice a post has not gone out this week, until now–and this by the skin of my teeth.
(If only The Skin of My Teeth could continue writing this post-election essay.)
I've been thinking a lot about why I do not want to talk publicly about the election results. And when I say "thinking a lot," I've been, as writers or sensitive types are known to do, sweating blood from my temples as I struggle to put words to abstract thoughts and so present them to you.
As far as I understand, the reason for my silence (apart from a bad cold that's kept me in bed all week) is this: I don't want to hurt anyone! And if you don't believe me, read my results from the recent Personality Test I just took (twice!).
But what if altruism isn't really at the seat of this silence? What if a giant wet chicken (the French term for coward or wimp) is sitting in that very place? See, while my mom might forgive my difference of opinion, you, dear reader, might very well want to roast me on a stake for not roasting the president elect in this essay! (And then there's another percentage of readers who would roast me for not respecting that same roasted chicken. Wait a minute… Who's on first? (Scroll up, one or two lines, to verify said chicken. Then hurry back here so we can get this post over with.)
(Might I distract you from the completion of this dreaded essay by another game of Sentence Ping Pong? I didn't think so. You are, I fear, expecting a word, a thought, a response (or perhaps a solution?) to the post election results. Come to think of it, I have two. Two words: Wendell Berry for Prez!
On second count, that's four words. I'm only good at math when I apply myself and the same is true regarding my behavior from here on out. What about you? In what area do you want to apply yourself in regards to making this world a better place? Isn't that, after all, the real issue?
I leave you with a poem by Wendell Berry, environmental activist, novelist, poet and farmer. And I have asked Jean-Marc to read it to you in French. Look for the sound file, below, and see you next week, à bientôt!
La Paix des Choses Sauvages
par Wendell Berry Listen to it Download Paix de choses sauvages
Quand le désespoir pour le monde grandit en moi
et je me réveille dans la nuit, au moindre bruit
dans la crainte de ce que ma vie et celle de mes enfants peuvent être,
Je vais et allonge où le drake du bois
repose dans sa beauté sur l'eau, et les grand héron se nourrit.
Je viens dans la paix des choses sauvages
qui ne taxent leurs vies avec préméditation
de chagrin. Je viens dans la présence de l'eau encore.
Et je me sens, dessus de moi, les étoiles d'un jour aveugle
en attente de leur lumière. Pendant un temps
Je me repose dans la grâce du monde, et je suis libre.
English translation, click here
Note: After Jean-Marc recorded the poem, I noticed the translation is not entirely correct. Feel free to edit and share in the comments section! I found the French translation to Wendell Berry's poem at the following site, and I send thanks, to Permaculture Eden.
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Our kids when they were younger. May the ground always be carpeted thickly with flowers. Caring for this planet is a priority! If you haven't yet, watch Leonardo DiCaprio's documentary "Before the Flood."
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I completely agree with you Lynn, Denise, Tina D and so many others….
For those that say it is only Hillary voters that are protesting….have you not watched the news with all of the horrible things happening all over the country…even right here in Oregon? Students at U of O on video dressed in blackface, and kids in Marion County going to high school with their trucks full confederate flags, shouting racial slurs. Yes, HERE.
Yesterday a friend in Happy Valley, Oregon came home to a swastika painted on her garage door, and a car of white kids driving by screaming horrible things at her-BECAUSE THEY THINK IT IS OKAY NOW!!
And that is one of the many reasons why people are protesting.
And in Portland, thousands of people took to the streets for a peaceful protest, and some wild anarchists joined in destroying property, and the first was identified and arrested yesterday, and I am hopeful they catch the rest!
As much as people don’t like a peaceful protest-truth is, history reflects that protest brings change.
I thought Trumps horrible comments about a disabled person, poking fun, flapping his arms would be the end of Donald Trump for President, and I wish it would have been.
I get it why people are upset. I voted for Hillary because I couldn’t vote for Bernie.
But Planned Parenthood is at risk. And especially if you do not believe in abortion-I hope you realize that birth control is provided to all, no matter what your income. Prevention is critical! Millions of women have used their services. Do the math. Preventing pregnancy means girls don’t drop out of school to raise a baby on social services. Medicaid, welfare, food stamps. Girls who don’t have a baby to raise stay in school, go to college, and contribute to the work force and become tax paying citizens. So when we are on the verge of losing funding for so many social services it is scary for a huge portion of the population. I have worked in social services for 20 years I worry about my clients, and they are scared.
But the fear is real.
And unless you are poor, LGBQ, a minority, disabled or just medically fragile, it is hard to put yourself into their place and understand. And as distasteful as it appears to me that some think of ‘those people’ it needs to be said that we are all americans, and all deserve care, and to live without fear.
One of the clearest things to me is that with the exception of Russia…the rest of the world feels it. The day after election, I got calls from friends and relatives in Switzerland, Norway, England and New Zealand, all in shocked disbelief.
So the rest of the world is watching.
Time will tell.
I have absolutely no problem in stating that I did not vote for a child molester and a person who mocks those with disabilities.
To all these Trump supporters and it is distressing to find out how many there are who read Kristin’s blog, I encourage you to read some of Hitler’s speeches for the democratic election that he won. Same sentiments, same hateful demagoguery, the only difference is the ‘enemy’ is not Hispanics but rather Jews. That and the fact that Hitler was not an out and out misogynist who bragged about assaulting women because, as a ‘star’, he could get away with it. You are such a bunch of hypocrites with your alleged “Christian Beliefs”. Jesus would roll in his sepulchre.
I would remind you that the world continues to criticize the Germans for not speaking out 70 years ago. Hitler as well was elected in a democratic election.
Hitler was democratically elected as well.
Beautiful poem Kristi, merci!!
We must all do our part to stand up for Mother Earth. Since President-elect Donnie has said the “global warming is a hoax”, he obviously will not be considering the environment in his policies.
In four short years, irreparable damage could be done to our environment.
Instead of re-hashing the ugliness of the campaigns, let’s work together to protect our earth!
America has never been greater than in the past 8 years……Your best president ever, Mr Obama, will be sadly missed by the rest of the world, if not by all his own citizens….
tres belle! vous avez raison! j’avais espere pour le splendeur de les etats unis dans le monde, maintenant . . . voici!!!!!!
Whoa! I feel good, I knew that I would, now
I feel good, I knew that I would, now
So good, so good, with Mr. Trump!
If you truly want less racial division, I am afraid that you backed the wrong horse.
“As for those that might not have healthcare available, all they have to do is show up at the Emergency Room and act like they can’t speak English and they will be given full care absolutely free.”
Ignorant
Bigoted
Xenophobic comment.
You are, without doubt, one of the basket of deplorables.
Perhaps some of the hand-wringing and angst is due to the fact that I do not see any of the Trump supporters commenting on this blog who are condemning the hateful rhetoric coming from so many of your fellow Trump supporters and voters. Over 450 documented incidents of hate crimes since the election- is this what you stand for? Why are not not standing up in opposition to it?
Blind optimism, I fear.Medicare is the most successful of all of our social safety nets,with far less overhead and administrative costs than private insurance, which is what Speaker Ryan and the Republicans want in its place. I have no faith that a so called ‘”free market” approach will be better for us.