Friends, family/framily members, and lurkers/bullies,
I’ve been left speechless lately, and if you know me in real life, you know how rare that is for me.
I truly don’t have the words for what I’m seeing in the world around me: internationally, nationally, state-wide, and local.
Sometimes, I feel like I am living in an alternate reality. Sometimes, I feel like I’m dreaming. Sometimes, I feel like we are all being pranked.
But sadly, no matter how many times I pinch myself into a new version of events, THIS is my reality right now.
So what can I -a middle-aged mom of three young girls-even do right now?
That’s the million dollar question, isn’t it?
I’m an action oriented, solutions driven, productive member of society-when society is functioning at least 25% efficiency.
So until I believe that ANY grownups are at ANY tables where decisions are made, I’m taking a break from the outside world.
What am I doing instead?
Teaching my kids classic games like Skip-Bo, Uno, and Phase 10.
Calling my loved ones on a more frequent basis.
Making concrete plans to spend quality time with people I’ve lost touch with.
Reading books.
Binge-watching shows.
Living.
Laughing.
Loving.
Author’s Note: Sorry not sorry-I couldn’t help myself. I am a 43 year old woman who had a sign that said “Live, Laugh, Love” in her first apartment. Roll your eyes all you want but you all know the saying very well.
If the people in this world we all share stop bullying others and want to actually make progress toward a functioning society, I will pivot back to the work I was doing.
But what’s best for me and my family is that I have a reset on all things that have been weighing my heart and brain down.
Whether I come back to Substack next week or never at all, I want to leave you all with this:
For those of you who are living life with integrity and compassion for others, I hope we can all get off this broken roller coaster of nonsense and start rebuilding what’s broken.
For those of you who are thriving and loving the chaos, may you have the life you deserve.
Without me.