In fact, that morning I woke up to an email that Hannah's art was going to be on display, with a small reception, that very same afternoon. Less than a day's notice.
Apparently, this was my second time to find out that morning that change is harder to come by than we think. The same lack of notice happened to us years ago. In 2012, I called the events surrounding that art show a "perfect storm."
We all grieve differently, but it's been really helpful for me to be out and connecting with others. At the Yavneh board meeting and Shabbat dinner. By entertaining Hannah's friends. At a breakfast with dear, like-minded Brandeis friends. At my friend's foster daughter's 1yo birthday party, where my friend told me the story of her mixed-race family being spat at a few weeks ago just a couple towns over (connecting, commiserating and strategizing over bad news counts too). And at a Byzantine music festival last night where Marc's Hebrew College chorus performed alongside various Christian groups.
I really want to keep connecting. I want to keep these conversations going. I want to make sure I don't just slip back to life in 2012, where pick up complications and logistics dominate my thinking.
That's going to be the real challenge for me, because honestly, pick up is hard. Dinner every night is hard. All of the everyday stuff of life can be really hard.
I think a lot of people who voted for Trump have been finding life is really hard, and feeling that the politicians who are supposed to represent them, who are supposed to try to make life a little easier for them, haven't actually had that happen. And their frustration and anger shouldn't be ignored.
So I'm going to keep talking, but I'm going to actively listen too. I'm moving ahead, but hopefully bringing more with me as I go.
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