After Election Meditation

photo by S J Pinkney / flickr

My son called this morning asking "What are we gonna do?" 

My daughter called saying: "I woke up at 4 and could not believe it. Felt physically ill. "

My wife said at breakfast, "It's terrible." 

And turning on the TV they all mutter, "How did this happen?" As usual, they think they know.

And they spin their spins. 
Email. 
Too many lies.
 Being a woman. 
Being a Clinton. 
Comey. 
Anger. 
Joblessness. 
Too distant. 
Too sure. 
Class warfare.
Over confidence.
Voter discrimination. 
Fear. 
Fear. 
Fear.

 I have little joy this morning but we have been through some dark days before and we will go through some dark days again. And after the grieving is over and life settles down one way or the other--we must not let this be the last word.

Wendell Berry helps me here.

"Shall we do without hope? Some days
there will be none. But now 
to the dry dead woods floor 
they come again, the first
flowers of the year, the assembly 
of the faithful, the beautiful, wholly given to being. 
And in this long season
of machines and mechanical will
there halve been small human acts
of compassion, acts of care, work
flowerlike in selfless loveliness.
Leaving hope to the dark
and to a better day, 
receive these beauties freely
given, and give thanks."*

                +                +               +                +              +            +

"I know that I have life
only insofar as I have love.

I have no love
except it come from Thee.

Help me,  please, to carry 
this candle against the wind."**

* Wendell Berry, Leavings,  p. 85
**Wendell Berry, Leavings,  p.33

photo by Jeff Nesanelis / flickr


--Roger Lovette / rogerlovette.blogspot.com