Daydreaming

With the really depressing summer of political three ring troll circus, my austerity mode, slow going change with my fitness routines, no garden endeavor and a lot of mental work before me, I found the following video a balm to the soul. I am so glad there are people in the world doing these wonderful living laboratories.

Oh, and a inspiring quote to calm my political fury was offered by Sharon Astyk from the book she co-authored, A Nation of Farmers.

“The simple truth is that the glorification of our past makes us believe lies. Glorification of our State makes us accept unacceptable things. And yet, there is a United States worth believing in - moments in history in which competing forces of powerful and weak met and creating something decent, something worth treasuring and admiring. It never happened without resistance, but neither was the story always a narrative of good people and evil leaders - it is far more complicated than that.

All of us were taught a state- and hero-centered history that erased too many ordinary contributions and focused our national pride on the wrong things. But we did have that teaching; we did learn that nationalism. Perhaps a large part of our projects is the unlearning of the untruths, but smashing idols isn’t enough - we need to give people who love their country a place to put that love, give those who derive hope and comfort from their sense of the past a past to attach themselves to.”

The emphasis is mine. Sharon's life is a living lab and her post today, though filled with typos and was dashed off, is very thought provoking. It may well be a really challenging jumping off point. I will be watching. I am seriously guarded in my own hopes. I am just not seeing it. So, I daydream . . . (It is better than drugs because I can snap out of it in a moment with a splash of reality.)

Video Via Hecate, that wonderful witch