Donald Trump

Trial Card – Day 820

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Resilience Card – The Ocean Oracle by Susan Marte

Trial Card

I haven’t chosen a card for us to contemplate in quite a while. Given that as a nation we’re once again on the verge of being subjected to the chaotic drama that accumulated over the past four years and erupted on January 6th, 2021, tonight felt like a good night to choose a trial card.

The man has already been impeached. Not once, but twice. Technically this is not an impeachment trial. Rather, it’s a trial before the Senate on whether he should be convicted of the conduct he was impeached over (in this case, incitement of an insurrection).

Personally, the respite from having DT’s presence – in all its forms – largely absent from our day-to-day lives for the past four weeks has been restorative. I’m only just now finding myself able to hear the words, “And the president said today…” without every muscle in my body tensing up, bracing for the worst.

Resilience

So the appearance of the Resilience card from The Ocean Oracle felt entirely appropriate. Heck, I had no need to read the ‘lwb’ (oracle parlance for ‘little white book’ – a reference to the explanatory guide that accompanies most oracles) to easily grasp the wisdom inherent in bringing resilience to the fore. Surely the suggestion that our nation needs to bring a certain attitude of fortitude to facing the truth of what took place leading up to and including 1/6 is completely sensible.

And given the penchant DT’s defenders and allies have shown over the years for relentlessly battering us with lies and admonitions not to believe what’s right before our eyes, it only makes sense that we’re going to have to bring emotional and intellectual resilience to the party.

We’re going to have to hang tough. Endure the insanity yet again. Stand fast for what is right and just.

Interesting Take

And then I read the aforementioned ‘lwb’ (written by the deck’s creator, Susan Marte), and I found the accompanying ‘story’ and ‘messages’ to be different than I expected, so I offer them here for your consideration:

42 – Sea Heather – RESILIENCE

The Story

Her childhood had been rocky. She felt alone for much of it, coming into her life through the kindness of strangers. Those strangers were now mostly friends. They were lifelines to her and came at the most unexpected moments, in the most unexpected guises. Her life now was steady and she was proud of where she was. There had been struggles and triumphs, sadness and joy, grief and celebration. But she had trust and faith in life and that force now shone through her. One of her annual rituals to honour her resilience came at the flowering time of the sea heather. Each summer she would harvest a bunch of sea heather and gift it to someone in her life who had been inspirational to her during the past year. She chose sea heather because of its own resilience – it grew in salty areas, undeterred by the saline conditions. It was hearty and unassuming in its gifts and its flowers were subtle yet stunning. And even after it was harvested and out of its growing conditions, it continued to hold forth its grace and beauty.

The Messages

Do you need to toughen up against your environment? Are you wanting to hide your gifts because you do not feel strong enough? Let your beauty and grace shine through in even the most extreme environments. Do not let your resilience be unbecoming. Use it as a beautiful strength to get you through dark times. Remember that tenderness, grace and beauty reside in all.

Take Away

My sense is that there will be efforts to paint the proceedings this week as some partisan ‘witch hunt,’ since that’s been the rallying cry for years and years now. We will need to be resilient as a nation and as individuals to demand accountability in the face of actions and rhetoric that have tested us and the foundations of our democratic republic for far too long.

And in the midst of keeping our heads held high and our integrity intact, we will be wise to find and exhibit beauty and grace where we can. The process we will undergo as a nation this week (and possibly beyond) can elicit from all of us a ‘beautiful strength’ that will get us through these dark times.

We can do this. Demanding and seeking accountability will serve us all. We must have trust and faith in our healing process.

(T-291)

Overload – Day 793

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Falcon (Kestrel) – Photo: L. Weikel

Overload

Honestly, I’m struggling to come up with something to write about that has nothing to do with either the votes I see taking place on the floor of the House of Representatives tonight, or the insurrection that took place just six short days ago. It’s hard; let me tell you. I’m on overload.

From the looks of things, it appears that the House is first voting to urge Vice President Pence and the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment in order to effectively remove DT from office. Pence has pre-emptively sent Congress a letter advising that he has no intentions of doing so. Thus it is expected that tomorrow the House will vote to impeach Donald Trump for his part in inciting the insurrection we witnessed take place last Wednesday, January 6, 2021.

Reasons

There are myriad reasons why Congress is moving forward with this action so quickly. Not least of these reasons is that we probably came within five minutes or so of the mob of thousands of Trump supporters not only storming the Capitol at the urging and instigation of Donald Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., Rudy Giuliani, and others, but also taking hostages and possibly killing those in the line of succession to Donald Trump.

We’ve seen videos, heard chants, and read posts that establish these intentions. And we’ve witnessed DT telling these people, “We love you.” The outrage is not in an expression of unconditional love (which would have had to be coupled with a swift and harsh rebuke to stop the violence) but rather from the tacit implication, “We love your behavior.”

The behavior of the mob was, in a word, deplorable. Not to mention illegal. And utterly immoral and diametrically opposed to the fundamentals of democracy.

As DT is wont to do, he deliberately says something that means one thing but in actuality intends the opposite. It’s a trick of rhetoric that he constantly employs yet is probably unconscious of and unaware that he does it. He talks out of both sides of his mouth.

A Different Messenger Today

Given the manner in which events are unfolding, including the credible reports of (admittedly incredible) additional attacks on both the inauguration ceremony and state capitols around the country over the coming days, our country is on high alert. We are being placed in the stance and mindset of imminent threat.

All of this reminds me of the quite unexpected visitor that swooped and looped over my back yard and above my head this afternoon: a gorgeous falcon. Specifically, I believe it was a kestrel; also known as a sparrow hawk.

While I might be inclined to try to apply the attributes of Falcon to myself or my life, I actually feel this might be more of a confirmation of the best manner in which to deal with DT’s actions.

For instance, Ted Andrews, in his book Animal Speak*, states:

“The kestrel will usually plunge down upon its prey from a perch, or hover above it about twenty feet up before the plunge. This is unique among birds of prey, but also among most birds. (…) For those with a kestrel as a totem, this is very significant. It allows the movement to be performed with great speed and precision. It gives the kestrel a gracefulness. It implies the ability to stop and use the flight to its fullest advantage.

The kestrel teaches control of speed and movement. It teaches patience. The kestrel is often a symbol for recognizing opportunities and acting upon them at only the correct moment. It teaches speed and accuracy of action. (…) The kestrel and any falcon can teach us to know when to act but to fully commit to our actions for the greatest success.”

Accountability

All of this reminds me once again of how essential it is that those who participated in the attempted coup on our government be held accountable – swiftly and without equivocation. It is a sad testament to our current predicament that because accountability has been delayed, denied, or deflected up to this point, the infractions against our country and our people have only become more egregious.

We need to act quickly; we need to act decisively; and we need to hold all those who would rip apart our democratic republic through treachery and violence accountable.

Falcon reminds us.

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(T-318)

Catch Phrases – Day 784

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Found on our walk – What Are We Seeing? – Photo: L. Weikel

Catch Phrases

It’s funny. I’m sitting here in my usual spot in my living room, allowing the thoughts and feelings generated by the day to percolate and inform me of the topic for tonight. Sometimes catch phrases pop into my head and I run with one of them. Other times I look at the photos I’ve taken during the day and open my heart and mind to the inspiration often whispered (and sometimes shouted) by what they depict.

Tonight there are no photos. At least no photos of clouds or stars or the moon. No photos of Spartacus or Cletus, Precious or Tigger. No sunsets. No creeks or waterfalls or dirt roads.

I write that now, but who knows? Perhaps by the time I complete this essay I’ll grow desperate and resort to including a gratuitous snap of one of my familiars. They have my back that way.

I’m a tad frustrated by my discovery that the two phrases that initially popped into my head have been used by me far too many times already, and all within the past nine months. It’s as if ‘a big week ahead’ and ‘waiting for the other shoe to drop’ have gestated. It’s possible, I suppose, that the concerns of the prior posts are coming to fruition now.

Big Week Of Shoes Dropping

The events of the coming first full week of 2021 are ‘big’ in many senses, and that’s why I’ve been reticent about issuing a full throated “huzzah!” over the end of 2020. The calendar may say it’s over. But its essence, its chaos and disruption, definitely is not.

Had I written tonight’s post twelve hours ago, I probably would’ve started a recitation of the week’s ‘big events’ with the Senate run-off election in Georgia on Tuesday. It’s pretty huge. The results of this election couldn’t be of greater consequence to the future of our country.

But of course we couldn’t have Tuesday start our Big Week. No. As of this afternoon we all now have access to an hour-long tape recording of our current president doing what he does best: threatening, bullying, and trying to coerce a state official (of his own party, even) to ‘find’ votes that would prove his fantasy and supposedly upend the results of the November 3rd presidential election.

So now we’ll be inundated with that story.

Then Comes Wednesday

We’re all being prepped for an ‘explosive’ day on Wednesday, January 6th, 2021. The outgoing president is all but calling for an armed insurrection. Members of Congress, both Representatives and Senators, many of whom were elected or re-elected in the very same election that took place on November 3rd are stating their intention to protest the pro-forma counting of electoral college votes based on baseless allegations of fraud. And baseless is an accurate description when courts have decided so in 60 different lawsuits. (Would that that were a hyperbolic number of cases brought by DT and his minions. But alas, it’s not.)

Again, What Are We Seeing?

I’m called once again to ask myself – and all of us, really – what are we seeing?

It’s important that we see it clearly, call it what it is, and figure out just exactly what we need to do to preserve the integrity of our country. The time of bullshitting ourselves about the reality that the current regime is trying to talk us into believing is true must end now.

It’s going to be a Big Week, with shoes dropping all over the place. And it’s not going to end this week. So let’s open our eyes and ears.

We must See. We must Listen.

(T-327)

Catch Our Breath – Day 772

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Rays of… – Photo: L. Weikel

Catch Our Breath

We keep thinking we’ve reached our limit. Maybe I should speak for myself. I keep thinking we’ve reached our limit. In this season in which we’re encouraged to withdraw into the comfort and warmth of our homes and the company of our nearest and dearest, surely we’ll be given a reprieve. Surely we’ll receive a moment to catch our breath, a few days of calm and quiet reflection when we can simply allow ourselves to be.

2020 has been a year beyond measure. We’ve endured twelve months that have included at least four separate monumental societal events that each could have separately defined an era, much less a year. And yet here we are again.

The year we are bringing to a conclusion right now is merely the capstone to a four year period that has tested our mettle and forced us, time and time again, to trust. Trust in the rule of law. Trust in the integrity of those called to serve in the highest places of power within our government. Trust in the inherent goodness of people called to public service. Trust in the wisdom of our fellow Americans to use their power wisely and restore integrity and justice for all of us – but especially those most vulnerable among us.

Trust

I think that’s what’s been the hardest part about not only 2020 itself, but also this entire past four years. Our trust has sustained a mortal wound.

The question is whether we can come back from the brink of despair and heal ourselves and each other.

It’s funny. With the arrival of the solstice yesterday, I was reflecting upon how I spent the solstice last year. It was a far cry from a magical appearance of the Star of Bethlehem, as I experienced yesterday.

Instead, it was the beginning of a series of betrayals that broke my trust in several people I never expected would act in such a way.

But I guess that’s what we’ve all been learning this year, is it not? Who would ever have believed the extent of the breach of trust that all of us have sustained this past year, ranging from the President right down to our nearest and dearest, including those we see at the grocery store or go to church with on Sunday.

It’s something we all need to just stop, catch our breath, and have a good think about. Because this is unsustainable.

Half Moon – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-339)

Gentleness – Day 688

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Photo: L. Weikel

Gentleness

It’s been two hours since the debacle ended. My pulse is only now returning to some semblance of a slow and steady beat. And the only thing I can think to write about is gentleness.

What we witnessed tonight is part of the shit-show I suspected would unfold this week. Oh goody – I can’t wait for the moon to become full on Thursday. What lunacy could possibly unfold? I’m sure we’ll find out.

Trauma

Why do I feel gentleness – the main attribute of Deer, which came calling on me every afternoon the past few days – is the watchword for this evening’s post? Because I defy anyone who watched what was billed as a presidential debate (but was never in actuality anything even remotely resembling a debate) to tell me they did not feel battered and traumatized by the disgustingly rude and disrespectful behavior of DT this evening.

As a nation, as humans watching all over the world, quite frankly, we were brutalized. What we witnessed was the unfiltered and unflinching behavior of someone who has never been held to account for himself in his entire life. We witnessed the quintessential bully. While his words and actions may have titillated a small segment of the world – those who are as damaged as he is – I have enough belief in humanity to know that the vast majority of us reject this. He does not speak for us.

And we must mobilize to ensure his deranged tactics are no longer a threat to either our fellow United States citizens or the billions of people with whom we share this planet. We must shift and transmute the energy – the rage, the trauma, the terror – that his behavior is deliberately calculated to trigger within us all into a resolute determination to leave these old ways of trauma-informed tactics behind.

First Take Care of Ourselves

In order to make strides in shifting and transmuting these energies we much first take care of ourselves. And this is where the lesson of Deer comes in. It is essential that we disengage and remember who we are. Walk away from the clips that perpetuate DT’s brutish derision of our system and his opponent, as well as his outrageous lies.

Take a bath, walk in the woods, take ten minutes and just stand outside and look up into the sky. Get ready to greet a new month arriving with the full moon on Thursday.

Deer in the Medicine Cards* (by Jamie Sams and David Carson) entreats us to treat the insane bully with gentleness and loving kindness. In a sense, it will short-circuit him. Don’t argue. Pity him. Make a point of disengaging when the pressure becomes too intense.

Eat some hostas.

Chill Out – these hostas are delicious – Photo: L. Weikel

*Affiliate link

(T-423)

Early Night – Day 629

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Tohickon Creek – 1 August 2020 – Photo: L. Weikel

Early Night

I’m tired. I’m going to try to wrest an early night out of this Saturday evening.

The weather today was a classic August day: quite exquisite, if just a scootch on the warm and muggy side.

Karl and I took a short jaunt to the banks of the Tohickon Creek late this afternoon. We sat on rocks jutting out into the creek, dangling our feet in waters swollen by the torrents of rain that lashed our area late Thursday evening. The cooling comfort of the creek’s steady stream was a perfect complement to the pleasure of losing ourselves in our books.

As Karl approaches his birthday, he was delighted to recently discover an author whose work he can totally immerse himself in. (Double bonus for me – since now I know something he’ll love that I can get him for his birthday.)

Needed to Read

While I’m savoring the last few chapters of a novel, Ninth House,* dubbed as fantasy (but which actually feels more real-life than most would think…), I have to admit I fell down the rabbit hole and interrupted my ‘fantasy’ novel with Mary Trump’s Too Much and Never Enough*.

Because I am fascinated by what feels like an eternal quest to understand why people are the way they are and do what do, I’ll admit it: reading the stories in this book does shed some light on the forces that shaped our current president. His background is terribly sad in its own way. But as bad as the treatment may have been, it’s pretty obvious that the tendencies to react in the bizarrely cruel ways he did to his childhood were there from the very beginning.

I guess I’m saying that, approximately halfway through the book, I feel compassion for his dysfunction. But I’m also, at the same time, appalled that he was permitted to, as the author says, ‘fail up.’ Repeatedly. And continues to have his glaring inadequacies covered up or explained away or simply glossed over, all the while people, including children at the border, are literally paying for that dysfunction with their lives.

It’s funny; I sort of feel as though it’s my responsibility to at least try to understand him. Perhaps it’s a form of self-preservation. If we can somehow figure out his endgame, maybe we can somehow avoid the horrific ending to this debacle that’s barreling toward us.

But I’m sensing that’s not going to be achievable no matter how well we understand him. And that is terrifying.

Enjoy the beauty that surrounded us as we read.

Tohickon Creek (1 Aug 2020) Photo: L. Weikel

*affiliate link

(T-482)

I Just Can’t  – Day 246

Posted on by Lisa Weikel 2 Comments
Tonight’s sky – Photo: L. Weikel

I Just Can’t                                      

I woke up this morning and was feeling remarkably ‘down.’ This feeling was as pervasive as it was unexpected. There was no obvious reason for it, either – dietary or otherwise.

But then, the day unfolded, and I made the mistake of reading news headlines.

I have to admit it: My stomach has been hurting all day. I’ve felt a little short of breath all day.

Honestly, I feel as though there is nowhere to look anymore that is not shocking, awful, and hateful. The blatant racism, misogyny, corruption, and deliberate attack on the rule of law being spewed and inflicted on our country is beyond the pale.

My heart hurts for our country. My heart hurts for our integrity. My heart hurts for our children – yours, mine, and everyone else’s.

My heart hurts for the soul of us all – and by that, I mean everything we stand for, believe in, and hold sacred.

If we don’t take a stand now, when everywhere we look we’re slapped in the face with vile divisiveness, cruelty, and utter corruption and self-dealing, we never will.

So Many Secrets/So Many Compromised People in Power

It broke my heart to read that so-called leaders of the Republican party such as Lindsey Graham were actually condoning Trump’s hate-filled racist rants of yesterday and today. His comments do not reflect simple policy-related differences of opinion with my own views. His comments reflect a fundamental abrogation of everything I was taught our country stands for.

Yes, I’m calling Graham out. Why? Because Donald Trump may be the biggest liar to ever cross the doorstep of the White House (and yes, I am saying with absolute lack of equivocation that he is the single biggest serial liar to ever cross the threshold of the White House), but we knew he was an ignorant con-man for decades. We knew it when he declared he was running. We’ve known it all along. All we had to do was read the background. All we had to do was open our eyes and read.

But Lindsey Graham? I remember a time when he appeared to be a man of principle. A man who had courage and integrity. So I have to say…this behavior of his, including his kowtowing to Trump since the inauguration, tells me there’s something about Lindsey Graham we don’t know. I think we have yet another example of a puppet whose strings are being pulled by a power that has the dirt.

The case that’s unfolding with Jeffrey Epstein is horrific. But you know what? I read about it at the very beginning of Trump’s candidacy. I was aware of the young girl who dropped her case because of death threats. I was aware of Alex Acosta. This has all been readily available. It is not ‘fake’ news. It is entirely documented.

This Is All About Power OVER

And it is all related. The utterly malignant foundation of so much of what goes on in our country is tied to and inextricably bound up in rampant, unabashed, unchecked, abuse of power. Power over women, power over young girls, power over little boys, power over the homeless, power over the defenseless, power over the poor, power over the black and brown in our country (and outside – you know, entire ‘shithole’ countries).

This has gone on for so long, they laugh and clink their glasses behind their billion dollar enclaves and think they’ll rule the world forever. But they’ve become sloppy, which comes from feeling they can live their exploitive, debauched existences out in the open, simply because they hold so much power.

Well, we’re the ones who have the power. We’re the ones who must look each other and ourselves in the eyes and act in a way that serves something greater.

I believe in us. But really, we must, must, must look at the raw truth of what is unfolding before our very eyes. And we must do it NOW.

Let us stand together and say “ENOUGH.”

The sun is setting on all we hold dear – Photo: L. Weikel

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