As usual I'm nodding my head in agreement with every sentence I read. It's such a strategy to keep us outraged and screaming and occupied with their insanity and this time around they're more organized and more strategic about it...but so are we and I'm definitely opting out of it this time around. They don't get my attention and my outrage every minute of the day.
Also, I truly wish all these billionaire bros would just get on the damn spaceship and go to Mars...and if the spaceship happens to disintegrate in space before they get to Mars, then that would be a "best case scenario".
Thank you for writing and thank you for being you! Every time I read one of your pieces and the comment section, I feel less alone and more hopeful 🧡
I so agree, I think they are more organized and intentional this time, so we have to be disciplined. Their game is so disgusting anyway, it’s not like I want to play. I want nothing to do with it, I don’t want to feed the beast. I want to feed the kindness and not give up. They don’t get to burn through our hope and joy, fuck that. And yeah, we’re gonna have to fight, but we can be strategic about that, too. Right now I am doing what’s in front of me because that’s what I can do. So many people right in my community are hurting, and getting clothes to people is something tangible I can accomplish, offering support, hugging strangers when they cry. That’s all straightforward. The rest of it we will figure out as we go, maybe when we’ve had some time to process and perhaps get a little more sleep, my god. I keep thinking I’m doing better with the sleep and then, nope. But I know I will. In the meantime we have each other. I treasure you all so much. I wish everyone in the comments section here lived together in a cul-de-sac somewhere green and sane and kind and safe. In my mind, we do ❤️🩹 Love to you, Sonbol xx
Your essays always make me feel less alone, especially at times when my brain is screaming to the world at large "YOU SEEING THIS SH*T?!". You always see it, and you are so good at naming it. Thank you for your work.
Oh Amy, thank you for these comments. I grew up feeling that “is anyone else seeing this??” feeling most days, so in times like these, I think I am often writing for those of us who cannot deal with the gaslighting. You are not alone, and I thank you so much for being here 🙏🏼❤️🩹❤️🔥
Your posts always make me feel better! I love seeing the comments from other readers who also appreciate the compassion and sanity you send us each week.
It is definitely time to be more selective about what we read and interact with. I need a break from the news. I can't take the constant barrage of nightmarish headlines. Less NYTimes news app and more NYTimes Games app, at least for now.
I hope you know how much the comments save me, too. I agonized over this one the last couple of days. I’m still not recovered from all the wildfire ptsd and as I’m writing this a helicopter flies overhead 😩 so there’s that, and then there’s *everything else* so I didn’t want to publish something unless it was going to be helpful. And then I published it super late and then I almost unpublished it. I’m like a live wire of every emotion under the sun right now. Thankfully I’ve been practicing yoga long enough to be able to sustain discomfort which is a good skill to have these days. Anyway. I’m glad it helped, I appreciate y’all more than I can say and I know we are going to get through this together. I am feeling better and stronger than last week, and I know that will continue to be the case. We’ll be okay, we’ll be enraged, we’ll be productive, we’ll rest, we’ll laugh, we’ll cry, we’ll hug. We’ll get it done ❤️🩹 Thank you for being here, Kate, I appreciate you so, so much 🙏🏼
Thank you for your writing. Thank you for reminding us that not following the noise, not allowing ourselves to hate is depriving them of what they want, throwing water on their rocket fuel, and making space for connections. I need this reminder daily.
Oh Abby, I think we’re all going to need the reminder daily, I’m reminding myself, too. I went and blocked the potus and his entire family on all social media, so that’s normal lol. We just have to protect our mental and physical health and stay focused on fighting the good fight in the ways that matter. I feel so lucky to have this community of kindhearted people. I know we are all hurting and tired and depressed and also sometimes infuriated and all the things, and I think we just have to keep making space for all of that, because it’s all appropriate and legitimate. And then keep working to make the world better, even on our own blocks. It’ll be okay. Thank you so much for being here. Meeting y’all in the comments is like the lifeblood of these times 🙏🏼❤️🩹❤️🔥
You’ve said all that should be said right now, and of course you’ve said it beautifully. Not playing into the rage game so we can see more clearly, speaking up when we see cruelty in action. I’m picturing my brain as a little computer, any information that messes with it without substance—DRAG TO TRASH 🗑️🗑️🗑️🗑️🗑️
You are incredible and amazing and I love that pic of your gorgeous family. Sending love and solidarity your way ❤️☀️
Thank you, Eileen, I love those tall humans more than anything. Can’t understand what happened, they were running around the house dressed up as jedis last week, sob. And yeah, I don’t have all the answers god knows, but I do know we cannot let them rob us of our joy, compassion or humanity. And we have each other and they have…them. So, who won, again? Lol. We just have to stay focused on each other and ways to spread some light in this broken world and ways to try to make things better. And when we get tired, we need to hold each other up. We’ll be okay. Love you immensely. So glad I met you here 🙏🏼❤️🩹❤️
Hi Ally, first of all, thank you for writing. I think what I like about it is the familiarity it creates, it allows me to experience something enjoyable, although I'd rather not read what you're writing about, but since that is the reality unfortunately, I still love you for writing about it, because you know what it also does? Keeps me sane!
I don't think I can really articulate how upset I feel, and I'm not even in USA, though I must add, our Slovakian good for fucking nothing prime minister went to see fucking Putin recently, Poland didn't allow his special to fly over their air space which is a big embarrassment!, and quite frankly considering size of Slovakia and our population it's equally traumatic and fucked up as your situation with Donald and his crooks.
It's depressing, but we must endure. I honestly take a lot of hope and courage from your essays and I am grateful for you being here.
Wishing you and your family all the best as always 🙏♥️
I am laughing because I think we are all going to be dropping a lot of f-bombs to survive this absolutely unfathomable timeline we’re living through. I’m very glad my writing helps in any way, and I’m sorry for all of us that too many on the face of this earth have tilted toward fear, greed, cruelty, contempt and willful ignorance. Sometimes all you can say is what the fucking fuck?! I just refuse to give up the hope that we can tilt things back toward sanity, compassion, kindness, tolerance, consideration for the personhood around us and, I dunno, basic human decency. Also art, music, poetry and all the best in us. I refuse to accept those things can’t save us. All we can do is the best we can do. Thanks for being here, Peter. Until fucking next time ❤️🩹
I woke wondering what to do on Day Friggin Three of this hellscape. Then I read your words and was, again, reminded to love harder and algorithm less. Thank you.
Thank you so much, Genessa, you made my day. It is bleak and hard and depressing, but also, look at us. We feel this way because we care about the world and the way things are, not just for ourselves, but for other people. Which is the exact right idea and how it should be. I love us, and I believe in us. We just need to stay focused, rest when we need to, and not play their game. We’ve got this. We might just need some sleep before we ride at dawn, and riding at dawn might look like driving an elderly neighbor to the grocery store or the doctor 😉 Sending you lots of love, thanks so much for being here 🙏🏼❤️🩹
You have great wisdom. About not listening to the noise. Great insights on what’s really going on. So glad to be a subscriber. So glad I found your site last year… just in time. Thank you for the work you put in to your essays. I look forward to them and read them as slowly as possible.
Your comments just made me teary. Thanks so much. I’m so glad you found me, too, so grateful you’re here, and so thankful the essays feel like a port in the storm. That is certainly always my hope. I appreciate y’all so much and know somehow or another we’re going to weather the storms together ❤️🩹🙏🏼❤️🩹
Always grateful for your thoughtful, wise, heartfelt pieces, Ally. I'm really feeling this: "We can hate them for putting us in this situation (again), but the cost of hating each other is going to keep rising, and that’s how they win." And the biggest yes to doubling down on loving those who matter most to us, and figuring out what good we can do from there.
I honestly don't know what that is yet. Given who's back in power, and what that means, I'm feeling it's important right now to ask the women in my life what they need, how I can help, how I can be better. I asked my daughter the other day, what can men do, and of course, of course, she said, I wish men could understand what it's like to never be able to feel safe, anywhere, as a woman.
This breaks my heart beyond imagining, and the man in me immediately starts wondering how to fix things, but I'm trying to quiet that for now, and just listen and understand more first. Your pieces are really helpful in that way.
My daughter feels the same way, but I think the fact that it’s even in the conversation is different than anything I’ve experienced prior to this moment, so that feels like at least something is shifting.
It’s such a difficult topic because the reality is there are really good men who would never in a million years cause harm. So you want to have the conversation without alienating the good men like yourself, but also allowing yourself to be enraged about the problem generally. And I do think so much of what happens is created by these ridiculous gender norms that are imposed on all of us from the moment we arrive. People treated my son differently than my daughter from the beginning, and it’s never ended. I think it causes pain for boys to have to be tough and strong all the time and that pain comes out sideways and twisted. But then there’s the reality of the world we live in, and it’s just the case that it’s not safe for my daughter to walk to the coffee shop by herself after 8pm, but I wouldn’t worry about my son. Which sucks. Anyway my brain is halfway offline right now, but I appreciate your comments so much. I wonder what my life would have been like if I’d had a dad who wondered how he could help. That alone is really something. Sending you and your family lots of love, Rob.
your comment about 9/11 and the Missing posters...on 9/12 I went to GCT to go back to Connecticut to see my family, and they were everywhere. I also tear up when I think about it, and when October 7th happened and people put those same kinds of fliers up (much smaller scale), I had a profound trauma response. I know we briefly discussed it, but I know what's happening in LA triggered tf out of me and I don't even live there. How many worst case scenarios are we meant to endure?
And obviously agreed about the outrage machine - we are so aligned there. I wish we could just go have a glass of wine and tell war stories. Like, literal wars at this point.
Me too, Kari. Who knew this was going to be the timeline? It feels more insane as we go. I’m starting to think I really should start honing some of those Mad Max cage fighting survival skills. Or at least learn about what berries are safe to eat or something lol, wtf, all the acronyms. Super glad I know you, though. If things get really crazy this comments section can send up flares. We can make a big fucking tent somewhere. And eat berries and write poetry and take shifts like, fending off falling craters. Kidding. I’m kidding. Hugs from Santa Monica!!!!
I am an Aged Care Pensioner in Australia. I love reading your pieces.
Have you considered, or if not your option pushed Substack towards, "pay what you can"? I would happily pay some money towards reading your work but can't afford to commit to your prices or many others on here. And especially multiple authors.
Maybe worth considering getting a lot of small amounts from so many who appreciate your work?
Oh Glenn, I’m so happy and grateful you’re here. I don’t want anyone who is struggling or on a tight budget to think twice about it. I know times are tough all around and there are so many great writers here. For the people who can support, I appreciate it a lot. And yes, I can definitely create a pay what you can button or something, this whole topic is on my list of things to think about but January hasn’t left a lot of room to think about anything except whatever is right in front of us! Maybe in February I can sit down and figure it out lol. Cheers, hugs, thank you so much for your kind words ❤️🩹🙏🏼
Jeez, Ally, so many feels, starting with loathing for that asshole who trapped you in his creepy bedroom and the white meditation bro who chose this moment to save us all. So incredible grateful you not only survived all the shit live has thrown at you but emerged a force capable of inspiring others to rise above victimhood and fight back with loving and...mercy? That word came to mind because my wife just called me to watch the brave Bishop interviewed on Rachel. MERCY is an interesting concept that doesn't come naturally to people like me, but believing in its power is a form of self-preservation and perseverance. May you and your beautiful children be well and the whole of Southern California rise from the horror of the ashes stronger. (If I sound like a preacher it's because I just listened to one? Weird, but the f-bombs are never far off). Much, much, much love to you and the people of LA. And, yeah, as fellow nine-thousand- year olds we should take solace in the long arch of history. xoxo
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde is the best thing in the news cycle, I want her to come live in our imaginary cul-de-sac, Helia. And I think we should go for mercy and f-bombs and focused fury and rest and hugs and laughter when we can manage it, and tears when they flow. As long is we do this together I know we’ll be okay. I’m sending you the biggest hugs and a lot of love. Thank you for being here ❤️🩹❤️🔥❤️🩹
Yes, let's invite her to join our beautiful, sustainable, off the grid paradise, where the harvest is as plentiful as the love and empathy we all share. You are a marvel, Ally, and your comments always make my day.
Ally.....thank you.....I’m in my 70’s and am so prone to tears these last years about what is happening in our country and world. Your writing as a young Mom gives me hope that we can get through this and find ways to resist and make a difference especially for those in need. Your children are beautiful and I’m sure raised with the love and values we so dearly need these days. In a meditation I did today, the moderator quoted something he has been told about how we can help. “Just do the next good thing.”.......as you said in your newsletter......loving your people and helping in any small way. Thank you for all the love you share and for being here for us! ❤️
Oh Maureen, I cry easily, too. Ever since I had my kids. They used to laugh at me because sometimes when I’d read to them at night, if the story was emotional I’d have to stop sometimes. Or at every school show, something about that innocence on display, those sweet voices and chubby arms and songs sung in a key only dogs can hear. Just all of it. This is not the world I wanted for them, or for your kids, or for any of us. I refuse to stop trying for better than this. And yes, I really think if we just focus on the next right thing and the one after that, we’ll be okay. These are hard times and I know it’s painful. But there are so many of us who feel this way and I believe in us. And I thank you so much for being here 🙏🏼❤️🩹
You’re right! Can’t let them bait us so we get all raged up! I’m trying to roll with the flow more and not get baited! Thank you for sharing this post!
You’re very welcome, Anthony. I’m glad it helped. I’m going to try to stay very disciplined. I want to decide when I unleash my rage, over what, and to what end. If it isn’t productive, it isn’t worth it. And I refuse to be their dancing puppet. I have found that rage can be really good fuel for some things, but only if you channel it. If you spew it, you exhaust yourself and just add to the noise and want to take a shower later lol. So, I’m gonna feed the love and protect my mental and physical health, and yeah. That’s the plan so far. Thank you for being here ❤️🩹
As usual I'm nodding my head in agreement with every sentence I read. It's such a strategy to keep us outraged and screaming and occupied with their insanity and this time around they're more organized and more strategic about it...but so are we and I'm definitely opting out of it this time around. They don't get my attention and my outrage every minute of the day.
Also, I truly wish all these billionaire bros would just get on the damn spaceship and go to Mars...and if the spaceship happens to disintegrate in space before they get to Mars, then that would be a "best case scenario".
Thank you for writing and thank you for being you! Every time I read one of your pieces and the comment section, I feel less alone and more hopeful 🧡
I so agree, I think they are more organized and intentional this time, so we have to be disciplined. Their game is so disgusting anyway, it’s not like I want to play. I want nothing to do with it, I don’t want to feed the beast. I want to feed the kindness and not give up. They don’t get to burn through our hope and joy, fuck that. And yeah, we’re gonna have to fight, but we can be strategic about that, too. Right now I am doing what’s in front of me because that’s what I can do. So many people right in my community are hurting, and getting clothes to people is something tangible I can accomplish, offering support, hugging strangers when they cry. That’s all straightforward. The rest of it we will figure out as we go, maybe when we’ve had some time to process and perhaps get a little more sleep, my god. I keep thinking I’m doing better with the sleep and then, nope. But I know I will. In the meantime we have each other. I treasure you all so much. I wish everyone in the comments section here lived together in a cul-de-sac somewhere green and sane and kind and safe. In my mind, we do ❤️🩹 Love to you, Sonbol xx
Your essays always make me feel less alone, especially at times when my brain is screaming to the world at large "YOU SEEING THIS SH*T?!". You always see it, and you are so good at naming it. Thank you for your work.
Oh Amy, thank you for these comments. I grew up feeling that “is anyone else seeing this??” feeling most days, so in times like these, I think I am often writing for those of us who cannot deal with the gaslighting. You are not alone, and I thank you so much for being here 🙏🏼❤️🩹❤️🔥
Your posts always make me feel better! I love seeing the comments from other readers who also appreciate the compassion and sanity you send us each week.
It is definitely time to be more selective about what we read and interact with. I need a break from the news. I can't take the constant barrage of nightmarish headlines. Less NYTimes news app and more NYTimes Games app, at least for now.
I hope you know how much the comments save me, too. I agonized over this one the last couple of days. I’m still not recovered from all the wildfire ptsd and as I’m writing this a helicopter flies overhead 😩 so there’s that, and then there’s *everything else* so I didn’t want to publish something unless it was going to be helpful. And then I published it super late and then I almost unpublished it. I’m like a live wire of every emotion under the sun right now. Thankfully I’ve been practicing yoga long enough to be able to sustain discomfort which is a good skill to have these days. Anyway. I’m glad it helped, I appreciate y’all more than I can say and I know we are going to get through this together. I am feeling better and stronger than last week, and I know that will continue to be the case. We’ll be okay, we’ll be enraged, we’ll be productive, we’ll rest, we’ll laugh, we’ll cry, we’ll hug. We’ll get it done ❤️🩹 Thank you for being here, Kate, I appreciate you so, so much 🙏🏼
Thank you for your writing. Thank you for reminding us that not following the noise, not allowing ourselves to hate is depriving them of what they want, throwing water on their rocket fuel, and making space for connections. I need this reminder daily.
Oh Abby, I think we’re all going to need the reminder daily, I’m reminding myself, too. I went and blocked the potus and his entire family on all social media, so that’s normal lol. We just have to protect our mental and physical health and stay focused on fighting the good fight in the ways that matter. I feel so lucky to have this community of kindhearted people. I know we are all hurting and tired and depressed and also sometimes infuriated and all the things, and I think we just have to keep making space for all of that, because it’s all appropriate and legitimate. And then keep working to make the world better, even on our own blocks. It’ll be okay. Thank you so much for being here. Meeting y’all in the comments is like the lifeblood of these times 🙏🏼❤️🩹❤️🔥
You’ve said all that should be said right now, and of course you’ve said it beautifully. Not playing into the rage game so we can see more clearly, speaking up when we see cruelty in action. I’m picturing my brain as a little computer, any information that messes with it without substance—DRAG TO TRASH 🗑️🗑️🗑️🗑️🗑️
You are incredible and amazing and I love that pic of your gorgeous family. Sending love and solidarity your way ❤️☀️
Thank you, Eileen, I love those tall humans more than anything. Can’t understand what happened, they were running around the house dressed up as jedis last week, sob. And yeah, I don’t have all the answers god knows, but I do know we cannot let them rob us of our joy, compassion or humanity. And we have each other and they have…them. So, who won, again? Lol. We just have to stay focused on each other and ways to spread some light in this broken world and ways to try to make things better. And when we get tired, we need to hold each other up. We’ll be okay. Love you immensely. So glad I met you here 🙏🏼❤️🩹❤️
Hi Ally, first of all, thank you for writing. I think what I like about it is the familiarity it creates, it allows me to experience something enjoyable, although I'd rather not read what you're writing about, but since that is the reality unfortunately, I still love you for writing about it, because you know what it also does? Keeps me sane!
I don't think I can really articulate how upset I feel, and I'm not even in USA, though I must add, our Slovakian good for fucking nothing prime minister went to see fucking Putin recently, Poland didn't allow his special to fly over their air space which is a big embarrassment!, and quite frankly considering size of Slovakia and our population it's equally traumatic and fucked up as your situation with Donald and his crooks.
It's depressing, but we must endure. I honestly take a lot of hope and courage from your essays and I am grateful for you being here.
Wishing you and your family all the best as always 🙏♥️
I am laughing because I think we are all going to be dropping a lot of f-bombs to survive this absolutely unfathomable timeline we’re living through. I’m very glad my writing helps in any way, and I’m sorry for all of us that too many on the face of this earth have tilted toward fear, greed, cruelty, contempt and willful ignorance. Sometimes all you can say is what the fucking fuck?! I just refuse to give up the hope that we can tilt things back toward sanity, compassion, kindness, tolerance, consideration for the personhood around us and, I dunno, basic human decency. Also art, music, poetry and all the best in us. I refuse to accept those things can’t save us. All we can do is the best we can do. Thanks for being here, Peter. Until fucking next time ❤️🩹
I woke wondering what to do on Day Friggin Three of this hellscape. Then I read your words and was, again, reminded to love harder and algorithm less. Thank you.
Thank you so much, Genessa, you made my day. It is bleak and hard and depressing, but also, look at us. We feel this way because we care about the world and the way things are, not just for ourselves, but for other people. Which is the exact right idea and how it should be. I love us, and I believe in us. We just need to stay focused, rest when we need to, and not play their game. We’ve got this. We might just need some sleep before we ride at dawn, and riding at dawn might look like driving an elderly neighbor to the grocery store or the doctor 😉 Sending you lots of love, thanks so much for being here 🙏🏼❤️🩹
I love your writing so! I'm flirting with Croatia retreat. Sending you lots of love.
Ha! I hope it’s flirting back! I’d love to meet you so much.
Ooooof that line about being pickier about your privates than people are about the president . Feel this to my bones
I mean, it’s insane, but here we are 🤷🏻♀️Smh. Love you.
You have great wisdom. About not listening to the noise. Great insights on what’s really going on. So glad to be a subscriber. So glad I found your site last year… just in time. Thank you for the work you put in to your essays. I look forward to them and read them as slowly as possible.
A port in the storm.
Your comments just made me teary. Thanks so much. I’m so glad you found me, too, so grateful you’re here, and so thankful the essays feel like a port in the storm. That is certainly always my hope. I appreciate y’all so much and know somehow or another we’re going to weather the storms together ❤️🩹🙏🏼❤️🩹
Always grateful for your thoughtful, wise, heartfelt pieces, Ally. I'm really feeling this: "We can hate them for putting us in this situation (again), but the cost of hating each other is going to keep rising, and that’s how they win." And the biggest yes to doubling down on loving those who matter most to us, and figuring out what good we can do from there.
I honestly don't know what that is yet. Given who's back in power, and what that means, I'm feeling it's important right now to ask the women in my life what they need, how I can help, how I can be better. I asked my daughter the other day, what can men do, and of course, of course, she said, I wish men could understand what it's like to never be able to feel safe, anywhere, as a woman.
This breaks my heart beyond imagining, and the man in me immediately starts wondering how to fix things, but I'm trying to quiet that for now, and just listen and understand more first. Your pieces are really helpful in that way.
My daughter feels the same way, but I think the fact that it’s even in the conversation is different than anything I’ve experienced prior to this moment, so that feels like at least something is shifting.
It’s such a difficult topic because the reality is there are really good men who would never in a million years cause harm. So you want to have the conversation without alienating the good men like yourself, but also allowing yourself to be enraged about the problem generally. And I do think so much of what happens is created by these ridiculous gender norms that are imposed on all of us from the moment we arrive. People treated my son differently than my daughter from the beginning, and it’s never ended. I think it causes pain for boys to have to be tough and strong all the time and that pain comes out sideways and twisted. But then there’s the reality of the world we live in, and it’s just the case that it’s not safe for my daughter to walk to the coffee shop by herself after 8pm, but I wouldn’t worry about my son. Which sucks. Anyway my brain is halfway offline right now, but I appreciate your comments so much. I wonder what my life would have been like if I’d had a dad who wondered how he could help. That alone is really something. Sending you and your family lots of love, Rob.
your comment about 9/11 and the Missing posters...on 9/12 I went to GCT to go back to Connecticut to see my family, and they were everywhere. I also tear up when I think about it, and when October 7th happened and people put those same kinds of fliers up (much smaller scale), I had a profound trauma response. I know we briefly discussed it, but I know what's happening in LA triggered tf out of me and I don't even live there. How many worst case scenarios are we meant to endure?
And obviously agreed about the outrage machine - we are so aligned there. I wish we could just go have a glass of wine and tell war stories. Like, literal wars at this point.
Me too, Kari. Who knew this was going to be the timeline? It feels more insane as we go. I’m starting to think I really should start honing some of those Mad Max cage fighting survival skills. Or at least learn about what berries are safe to eat or something lol, wtf, all the acronyms. Super glad I know you, though. If things get really crazy this comments section can send up flares. We can make a big fucking tent somewhere. And eat berries and write poetry and take shifts like, fending off falling craters. Kidding. I’m kidding. Hugs from Santa Monica!!!!
Hi Ally
I am an Aged Care Pensioner in Australia. I love reading your pieces.
Have you considered, or if not your option pushed Substack towards, "pay what you can"? I would happily pay some money towards reading your work but can't afford to commit to your prices or many others on here. And especially multiple authors.
Maybe worth considering getting a lot of small amounts from so many who appreciate your work?
Oh Glenn, I’m so happy and grateful you’re here. I don’t want anyone who is struggling or on a tight budget to think twice about it. I know times are tough all around and there are so many great writers here. For the people who can support, I appreciate it a lot. And yes, I can definitely create a pay what you can button or something, this whole topic is on my list of things to think about but January hasn’t left a lot of room to think about anything except whatever is right in front of us! Maybe in February I can sit down and figure it out lol. Cheers, hugs, thank you so much for your kind words ❤️🩹🙏🏼
Well, damn, Ally. This is so poignantly spelled out. Thank you.
Thank you, Holly, and thank you for being here ❤️🩹🙏🏼
Jeez, Ally, so many feels, starting with loathing for that asshole who trapped you in his creepy bedroom and the white meditation bro who chose this moment to save us all. So incredible grateful you not only survived all the shit live has thrown at you but emerged a force capable of inspiring others to rise above victimhood and fight back with loving and...mercy? That word came to mind because my wife just called me to watch the brave Bishop interviewed on Rachel. MERCY is an interesting concept that doesn't come naturally to people like me, but believing in its power is a form of self-preservation and perseverance. May you and your beautiful children be well and the whole of Southern California rise from the horror of the ashes stronger. (If I sound like a preacher it's because I just listened to one? Weird, but the f-bombs are never far off). Much, much, much love to you and the people of LA. And, yeah, as fellow nine-thousand- year olds we should take solace in the long arch of history. xoxo
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde is the best thing in the news cycle, I want her to come live in our imaginary cul-de-sac, Helia. And I think we should go for mercy and f-bombs and focused fury and rest and hugs and laughter when we can manage it, and tears when they flow. As long is we do this together I know we’ll be okay. I’m sending you the biggest hugs and a lot of love. Thank you for being here ❤️🩹❤️🔥❤️🩹
Yes, let's invite her to join our beautiful, sustainable, off the grid paradise, where the harvest is as plentiful as the love and empathy we all share. You are a marvel, Ally, and your comments always make my day.
🥹 Same!!
Ally.....thank you.....I’m in my 70’s and am so prone to tears these last years about what is happening in our country and world. Your writing as a young Mom gives me hope that we can get through this and find ways to resist and make a difference especially for those in need. Your children are beautiful and I’m sure raised with the love and values we so dearly need these days. In a meditation I did today, the moderator quoted something he has been told about how we can help. “Just do the next good thing.”.......as you said in your newsletter......loving your people and helping in any small way. Thank you for all the love you share and for being here for us! ❤️
Oh Maureen, I cry easily, too. Ever since I had my kids. They used to laugh at me because sometimes when I’d read to them at night, if the story was emotional I’d have to stop sometimes. Or at every school show, something about that innocence on display, those sweet voices and chubby arms and songs sung in a key only dogs can hear. Just all of it. This is not the world I wanted for them, or for your kids, or for any of us. I refuse to stop trying for better than this. And yes, I really think if we just focus on the next right thing and the one after that, we’ll be okay. These are hard times and I know it’s painful. But there are so many of us who feel this way and I believe in us. And I thank you so much for being here 🙏🏼❤️🩹
You’re right! Can’t let them bait us so we get all raged up! I’m trying to roll with the flow more and not get baited! Thank you for sharing this post!
You’re very welcome, Anthony. I’m glad it helped. I’m going to try to stay very disciplined. I want to decide when I unleash my rage, over what, and to what end. If it isn’t productive, it isn’t worth it. And I refuse to be their dancing puppet. I have found that rage can be really good fuel for some things, but only if you channel it. If you spew it, you exhaust yourself and just add to the noise and want to take a shower later lol. So, I’m gonna feed the love and protect my mental and physical health, and yeah. That’s the plan so far. Thank you for being here ❤️🩹
Yes, self-preservation is first and foremost! We need you to be your best so as to benefit from your efforts! Thank you for being you!💚