Here are my suggestions of things for each of us to do, in our own personal time, to recharge, reboot, and revitalize our spirit
ONE. Kindness. The first step in our daily lives is to be kind. To live by the ancient code of Philo: “Be kind, for everyone you encounter is quietly carrying a great burden.” And to paraphrase something Jesse Jackson once explained to me: Ignorance and prejudice create a paralyzing and irrational, out-of-control Fear. Fear of “the Other.” Fear of the Different. Fear of the New. And Fear leads to Hate. And Hate leads to Violence. Therefore, in order not to end up with violence, ignorance and stupidity must be the first to go.
So, perform at least one act of kindness each day. You will instantly make a small piece of this world a better place.
Listen. Especially listen to women. (I ESPECIALLY LIKE THAT ONE!)
Read. Books.
TWO. Join something. Anything. Being in community is a radical act. Those in power know that one of the key components of staying in power is to divide people because when the people get together, well, it never seems to turn out well for those in power. So right away, simply deciding to join with others — for any reason — is one of the purest acts of Democracy. And I’m serious, join anything. A knitting circle. A darts team. Your local HRC, ACLU, BLM, or any one of a number of social justice groups. Neighborhood clean-up. Food bank. Community theater. Over-50 hockey. Regardless of which state of grief any of us are in, nothing beats being with other humans. And by coming together — even if it’s just to make a quilt — it is during gatherings like these that somebody randomly comes up with an idea, and two other people pile on with their ideas, and before you know it, you have the beginnings of a new First People’s Cultural Center in town.
THREE. Take care of yourself. We need strength to fight. It’s really that simple. And for us to win, really win, this will require 100% of our body, mind and soul. So… Drink tea. Listen to music. Go snowshoeing. Eat ice cream. Rest, on a shoulder. Randomly just start singing The Beatles’ “Let It Be” — right now. Don’t wait, just sing. “When I find myself in times of trouble…” Practice gratitude. Get a pedicure. Notice birds. Do standing push-ups against a closet door. Cross the river into Canada — with no clue as to why you’re there. (Pro Tip: Call home and announce you’ve left the country.)
FOUR. Get some real news. Go outside the mainstream media. There’s all kinds of journalism these days — dangerous muckrakers, investigative humorists, fearless instigators, unbought and unrepentant writers — find them. Embrace it. Read it. Watch it. Listen to it: ProPublica. The Guardian. Ha’aretz. CBC nightly news “The National.” Labor Notes. John Oliver. Current Affairs. BBC NewsNight. The Chris Hedges Report on Substack. Ayman on MSNBC. Drop Site News. A Closer Look on Seth Meyers. The Lever. Hammer & Hope. More Perfect Union. The Katie Halper Show. Night School with Marc Lamont Hill. “Citations Needed”. Jewish Currents. Al-Jazeera English.
Start there.