Mixed media on canvas paper – 7 x 10″
The Sunday after the 2016 election my daughter, Alexis, and I attended Jazz Vespers at St. Andrews-Wesley United Church in Vancouver.
We needed to do something… hopeful.
The results of the US election had stunned us. Taken us by surprise and lead us down a dark alley towards a sea of confusion.
Jazz Vespers was the antidote to our despair.
I still remember the words of Rev. Gary Pattison who led the service. “Jesus Christ loves Donald Trump,” he said. “I’m glad he does because I’m not there. Yet.”
Four years later I wonder if Gary got there.
I didn’t.
I feel compassion for the child who never knew love. I pray for a miracle to heal the man. But love him?
I take a breath.
I do not write of politics. I do not write of religion or the economy or issues that consume weeks of headline news. I write of our human condition. Because, no matter the political, religious or economic times, it is we, the humans of this world, who create the climate for goodness, or darkness, to prevail.
Which is whyI am not writing about the man. I am writing of my response to how I felt yesterday as I sat and watched the inauguration of Joseph Biden as the 46th President of the United States of America. Our neighbours. Our closest ally. Our partners along the longest undefended border in the world.
I didn’t watch the inauguration on the same date in 2017.
I couldn’t.
I was far from Rev. Pattison’s kind of love and far from being able to do what a professor in a social justice course I took long ago said was necessary to change the world. “Until you love the Hitler in you,” he said, “you cannot love all humanity.”
I so want to be that person. The one who can love the human condition without falling into measuring someone’s worth as lacking because I am standing on my self-righteous pulpit judging their humanity and deeming it unworthy of redemption.
We are all worthy of redemption. And I wonder, is redemption the miracle that transforms blindness to sight, deafness to hearing and heartlessness to giving a damn?
And I hear the sinister whisper of my self-righteousness crawling across my skin. It is vile, that whisper. It would have me believe that it is The Man who makes the country. The Man who determines the heart of its people. The Man who is everything.
On that November day in 2016, when Rev. Pattison gave his homily at Jazz Vespers he stated, clearly and unequivocally, “We must stand with strong backs and soft fronts.”
For the past four years, I struggled to stand with a soft and open heart while keeping my back strong so that I could stand up for what was right and just without tearing down those who stood against me. Just as I struggled to believe there was hope in the darkness, a light at the end of the tunnel.
For the past four years, I have lost heart.
Yesterday, I was reminded that the sun is not gone because clouds cover the sky nor does my heart stop beating while I’m sleeping nor when I’m afraid.
Yesterday, I felt the delicate embers of hope begin to burn in my heart again. The embers that had begun to glow when Mr. Biden was declared President Elect last November.
Yesterday, I felt myself exhale and breathe in deeply.
Neither Trump nor Biden are my President.
But as a citizen of this world, as a neighbour to America, I look at what is called the self-evident truths of their declaration of independence as a beacon of hope in a sometimes dark and messy world. And while their path to equality and freedom has been fraught with missteps and peril, the intent to get there, the commitment to do the hard things was always part of what I believed was possible. Because, I believed America would do the right thing, even when it was hard.
For the past four years I have doubted. I have faltered.
I have hope again.
Yesterday, I watched the inauguration of Joseph Biden as the 46th President of the United States of America and Kamala Harris as Vice-President.
I cried. I smiled. I cheered. I bowed my head and prayed.
Today, I stand strong of back, soft of front. Today, I believe all things are possible.
As to loving Donald Trump. I leave that up to God.
Dare Boldly 
Amen Louise – you said it all. I too felt such joy amidst tears watching the inauguration…..Joe Biden and Kamala Harris together will hopefully change the darkness into light even though they have many challenges ahead. It was a good day yesterday! 🙏❤️
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That it was Val — a very good day! ❤
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I echo your words, sentiments, feelings. The world was finally able to exhale, relax and look forward to a brighter future. President Biden, and he deserves to be referred as such from now on, has a tough road ahead. He will have some missteps, after all he is human. From comments and reports, many are willing to be at his side, assist and advise as he works at undoing, repairing and bridging the gaps and breaks caused by a narcissistic megalomaniac.
My anger has dissipated now that I have written those two words.
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I hear you my friend. it is also important to name the evil in our midst – I learned that after being freed from a psychopath’s killing embrace. ❤
and yes, it will be a tough road ahead, for so many – but with President Biden leading the way, with Kamala Harris walking beside him along with so many others, a brighter future is possible. ❤
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We Americans can now look to healing the cracks in our self esteem that someone like Trump was able to inflict on us. We may need healing, but as a whole we are not broken. I am also SO proud of Kamala Harris as out first WOMAN Vice President!
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I stand with you!!!! And yes, it is a very proud moment for America — women everywhere and the world! ❤
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Thanks for this– we are all so much lighter today.
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I had tears in my eyes as I read your blog Lisa Beautiful and poignant and full of heart.
(and I apologize because on my response I just realized I think I typed Liz! <3) My apologies.
Yes. bubbles are definitely in order.
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AMEN to all of this, Louise. I love the quote but I won’t ever be able to love T* or H*. In fact, I love the quote and your artwork so much that I shall try to ‘steal’ (read: borrow) it for a day or two for my phone app…..
And I think we can leave this kind of pardoning or loving safely to God. We are only human, after all….
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LOL — you are welcome to ‘steal’ for as long as you want Kiki — it’s a lovely compliment!
And yes, I too shall leave it up to God and carry on my very human journey. ❤
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A great post. We try, we really try to love all. I will remember the expression “strong back soft front.” But so hard to be soft in front of bitter hate. That said, I cried during the entire inauguration. Who knew hope would alight so mightily? I tried to have faith these past four years, and for the most part I did believe. But yesterday was even better than I hoped for. ❤
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It is a beautiful thing to witness and experience — “hope alighting so mightily”!
And yes – -it is hard to be soft in front of bitter hate — but as only love can ease hatred, I keep reminding myself that I must strive to do our best. ❤
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That’s a very thoughtful response to the crisis south of the border and to the renewed sense of hope we all feel..
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Let us keep breathing into hope Bernie. And let that hope keep all of us breathing freely. ❤
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I’m with you on that, Louise!
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You are such a welcome light Tiffany! ❤
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