After a day of inauguration coverage, it was a relief to go to Friday night services at my synagogue, and sing about love and peace and peoplehood, embracing minor keys and unresolved endings with my whole heart. Others raise their voices in protest, at marches, in violence, in artistry, in soaring speech. I sing.
“Spread a canopy of peace, a canopy of love, for everyone!”
Sing it, Butterfly!
The whole past year has been stressful, but in the background there was always the hope that things would get ironed out and government would recede in the national attention to third or fourth most covered topic, at least behind the Kardashians. Instead, we have the constant barrage of tweets that is Trumpiness, or should that be Trumpitude, or Trumptasia? Maybe you need to be on LSD to appreciate this particular era in United States politics.
The fact that newscasters find themselves speculating on where Trump is sitting when he does his middle of the night tweets, is alarming. They seem to have come to the conclusion that he has colitis, or irritable bowel syndrome, given the number of missives sent into the ether.
It feels like we’re living inside of a movie spoof, like the Airplane movies, or something by the Wayans brothers, and everyone’s keeping a straight face while they read their craziest lines of dialogue. A lot of people seem to be energized by all of this, ready to fight and make a stand, in whichever direction. My Facebook newsfeed is filled with writing friends who are adamant and active in their beliefs. My synagogue is humming with discussions and plans and sign up lists. But I feel lost in the chaos.
I feel like I need a whole new vocabulary to help me understand the ways the world is changing every day, words like, Trumpism, and Trumpification, are a place to start. When Trumpcare is created to replace Obamacare, maybe doctors will come up with a new drug, let’s call it Trumpium, a combination of Valium and Opium, to help us all manage the next few years. Trumptastic! Well, at least until impeachment, when I guess we’ll have to think of some new words to make out of “Pence.”
I still feel like hiding under the couch, with Cricket, or overeating with Butterfly (though I draw the line at eating kibble, for now).
Can you make room for me under the bed, Cricket?
Any pizza left, Butterfly?
I don’t feel empowered, or energized, or clear headed, except when I get a chance to sing:
“We are loved, loved, loved, by unending love, an unending love!”
For a few moments, while we were singing together on Friday night, I felt like everything might be okay.
You’re right, Cricket. Peanut butter helps too.
rachelmankowitz 
Sometimes singing is all we can do. This is heartfelt, Rachel. Peace to you and the little ones.
Thank you!
You’re so welcome!
I’m with you. The craziness, the spitefulness, the general angst that fuels the population today, is more than I can deal with. So I pray. God knows the reason behind it all, and if we let him, he’ll have it covered.
Thank you!
I wish I could sing with you in your synagogue. I could use a little love and peace. I want to be positive, not negative. It’s just SO HARD. I didn’t watch the inauguration.–It wouldn’t change anything. I truly want good things for our country, but who doesn’t, right?
Well, if it gets down and dirty, then we can easily fall back on “Let’s dump Trump” or “Give Trump the Bump” and then we’ll have “To make sense with Pence” or there will be “More suspense with Pence” or God forbid, “It’s dense with Pence.” You can probably come up with something better. Grin!
“More suspense with Pence”! That is awesome!
Keep singing!
I will! Thank you!
Great post. Definitely interesting times.
Thank you!
Reminds me lots of the Nixon era. But we were not so aware of things early in the Presidency because there was no social media like today. Boy to think of life before the internet how peaceful it was. Haha
Ha! There really is bliss in ignorance, as long as it’s your choice.
Strange days indeed, as another singer once observed. It is weird enough watching all this from the other side of the world, let alone being stuck in the middle of it. It is at times like these that I stop watching the news and stay off social media. Singing sounds like a perfect response – sharing your voice to create harmony and beauty at a time when others are using theirs to be ugly and mean.
Thank you. I just wish I could sing a little louder.
All Canadians send you heartfelt encouragement. We mourn from afar.
Thank you!
Trumpium?! Rachel, you are a genius. Tell Cricket I am stocked up on peanut butter. It is Parker’s favorite, too.
Cricket has us buy the peanut butter in bulk, just in case.
Just keep singing!
I’m trying!
Hiding under the bed feels like a really good option right now…although you’re right. Music is better.
I have been raging against the machine, so perhaps I’m one of the off-key ‘singers’ yelling against a fate I can (as an individual) do nothing about. I am sick of the posts about this horror, whether they are pro or con. I am tired to death of the stares from those, upon hearing that I don’t ‘like’ the current regime and refuse to support it by calling a certain creature ‘president’ or being respectful toward the stupidity that seems overwhelming just now, try to ‘correct’ me by saying things like “Well HE IS ‘your’ leader’ etc etc, as if repeating it over and over will make me one of the believers. I’m with you in finding music healing at this time, mine isn’t holy or sacred music or singing though, it is songs that echo how I feel by artists like R.E.M. (end of the world as we know it, Everybody hurts sometimes), Don McLean (Bye Bye Miss American Pie) and others of my era that were protest songs or solemn songs about emotions (No Tears in Heaven – Eric Clapton is another, “Hurt” by Johnny Cash). Maybe music IS the answer for some of us. It carries us away to a place where everything IS okay. The dogs ‘get’ it certainly!
R.E.M. works every time!
Great comment!!!
You should be wishing for Trump’s success. He’s inherited a LOT of big problems that have been festering for at least the past quarter of a century under both parties.
Great ‘singing’, Rachel! I think I need some peanut butter, if Dylan cares to share.
I may have to move on to Nutella soon, that’s how bad it is.
It is comforting to know that I’m not alone in my thoughts. Your post expressed my very same thoughts. Thanks for sharing. I think I’ll do some singing myself to save my sanity.🎼🎤🎹
Thank you! I’m so glad I’m not alone.
I feel you on not knowing exactly what to do. I feel a little lost. I am going to make an effort to counteract the anger and lack of compassion that is being demonstrated by our leader by trying to do more kindness and show more love on a daily basis in whatever small ways I can. I agree that peanut butter and pizza will help though.
The whole idea that there is no pizza in my house is upsetting me right now.
I tried to get down to Miami, I wanted to take part in the protest but was unable to go down there today . I am glad you were able to express your feelings positively.
I am hopeful, excited and ready for President Trump!!
A perfect description—it is like we’re living inside a movie spoof. Singing helps.
Thank you!
The singing is a good idea….I originally took Trumpiness to be another spelling of Grumpiness….I think it fit the fog coated day in Michigan…
You, Butterfly and Cricket are the best 🙂 I love the way you all three write and think 😀
Thank you!
I too like to sing if I’m feeling down as it makes me feel better. Then I find I’m singing because I’m happy. Sadly the world isn’t like that (sigh).
I have a lot of entries in my reader from the US, and so naturally many on your recent politics. I don’t normally comment, but from my seat over here, I felt there wasn’t really a choice, more a case of voting for the person you disliked the least.
The UK political system is a shambles, spoilt little children playing with big figures to score brownie points and arguing amongst themselves over who gets the last chocolate biscuit. They have no concept of those with no money or any biscuits to start with.
Politics has to change, and love him or hate him, maybe it’s already started with the election of a Businessman. Even if some of those businesses have failed, he bounced back. He’s not afraid of criticism, and doesn’t seem to care if people hate him. It goes with the territory.
I don’t envy the task but you never know, he may surprise us all.
How about just being tolerant enough to give the guy a chance?
Our blogging friend Hugh has written a post today about bringing back the term “gaslighting.” It is very applicable to your point and clearly defines a tactic he deploys.
Here is a link: https://hughcurtler.com/2017/01/22/gaslighting/
Thank you for letting me know about the post!
I love this post and just what I need lately! I wasn’t happy with the election results and it’s fueled my anger by reading negative social media posts. I’m giving up on it for a bit, as well as the news. My feelings is that it is what it is and anger will not solve it. I choose to let it go and pray and hope for our country today and for the future.Peace, kindness and making a difference in your neighborhood is a start. 💗
Ditto
The deepest truth comes in your synagogue prayer: things are deeply all right. Do we abdicate doing justice? Absolutely not. But do we replace the God of Abraham in our heart with little nasty Donald? Absolutely not. Evict him and give your heart back to the One who deserves it. Peace.
That little foot under the table and the other two with the peanut butter under the bed…thanks for the smile. 🙂
Thank you!
Everything is okay because God is in control.
Hey Rachel, what a wonderful post! I love your “Airplane” metaphor. I sing too, nearly every morning, before going to work, I grab my guitar and belt one out. I find it liberating like a native New Zealand Haka… One of the languages of the soul, a powerful one too!
Thank you! I’m so glad you take the time to make music in the morning!
I feel the same way Rachel, I even deactivated my FB for awhile until I can get my bearings on all of this “surreality” I still wonder if I will wake up and find it was all just a bad dream. They named a moth after him….it’s insane. Keep your inside lights on, as will I. Focus on what we want and let that gain the power of our spirit and will. Love to all of you there today.
A moth?!!!!!!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4145976/Scientists-moth-DONALD-TRUMP.html – yes, a moth….I give you the Donald Trumpi (facepalm)
Wow.
Singing sounds like an excellent way to drown out all that Trumpery cray-cray! 😉
It felt wonderful!
Any room under that couch with you guys?
Plenty! Though Cricket tends to bring in all of the toys she doesn’t want Butterfly to get her paws on.
😉😊
Loved this post Rachel! I. like many other commenters, am sick of the disharmony. No make that anger and discontent. I have never witnessed anything quite like the “fallout” of Election 2016 followed by Inauguration 2017. I don’t have a problem with protests for I feel that they often call attention to a much needed issue but draw the line at random violence and destruction of property. I swear every time I open email in the morning there’s yet another political petition flying in. I’m content to plug away with my dictating app, count the days down till the first eye correction and look forward to catching up on life in general after that. This is too much craziness for me. Love, love, LOVE how you incorporate the dogs into your posts (just in case I’ve never mentioned it). How is school going? I cant believe I made it through the first semester considering I can’t really see.👀
Thank you, your blog always brings a little peace to my day…
Thank you!
The women’s rights marches the day after gave me hope we can survive this awful man and his minions! Women tend to have the tenacity, patience, and will to follow through on something the start; men tend to approach things on a short term basis – “fix it” then forget it, whether the fix was the solution or not.
As for Butterfly and Cricket, we can alternate between their solutions as the circumstances dictate. (If we can’t be safe and secure, at least we can be extremely adorable!)
Ha!
We are lucky to have dogs. I know when I am feeling low, I go to my Jess and she just makes everything ok for me…at least for a moment. sigh….it’s going to be a long, weird four years.
Yep.
I totally understand and empathize with you and yet I ended up participating at the Women’s March yesterday. It was uplifting and inspiring. Perhaps there’s hope yet that we don’t have to deal with #Trumplethinskin or suspense with Pence without some accountability.
Fingers crossed!
Well done. Enjoyed your assessment. As good as anyone else’s opinion. Should prove interesting (as in the old Chinese curse, may you have an interesting life).
Eek!!!!!
I am right there with you. Church offers comfort but we have entered into a new universe where so much is unknown and people are always anxious. It is going to be a bumpy 4 yrs no matter what happens. Tell Cricket to make room for a few more friends. 😃
Cricket will make room for anyone bringing pizza!
There is a word TRUMPERY. Look it up. It seems appropriate.
I love it!!!!!!!!!
I totally get how you are feeling. Let’s move on!
That’s how I feel, too, like I’m in the middle of some spoof that will go poof, but then…
I was all fired up and ready to go tomorrow (I really am going to start calling my Senators about the Education and EPA cabinet picks), and then I made the mistake of listening to a Sunday morning talk show where one of the president’s advisers introduced me to the term “alternative facts” which in all instances are simply blatant untruths that, when repeated often enough, become alternative realities for the new administration.
Seriously?
Do you have a song for that?
Maybe I need to go to synagogue on Friday nights.
That “alternative facts” line really should be the end of Kellyanne Conway, but in this alternative universe…
In 4 years time, when we look back, this will have been the good part. 😨
Oy. I didn’t know I could feel worse.
Oh, how I wish that were true….😔
Thanks for your humorous and warm insights.
I walked in the San Diego Women’s March. It lifted my spirits. We sang!
I love it!
I went to DC and participated in the Women’s March–what an awesome experience! Half a million people with varying agendas were packed shoulder to shoulder on the Mall and in the streets. Everything was peaceful and upbeat, so much positive energy. I know now that we are going to be ok. I read your post on the way there, so in a way, you went with me.
Oh wow! Thank you so much!
Thank goodness for our pets when it seems like the world has gone crazy.
Yes!
Thankfully we can sing, and sing and comfort one another.
I haven’t gotten to the everything may be OK stage yet. It’s hard for me to even watch the news.
The news is painful lately; you may be better off without it for a while.
While I’m in the UK, we’re following this Trumpination too and feeling the effects. I think light-heartedness is needed to see through this time, and a dash (or a heap) of positivity and hope. Fab post and great photos! x
Thank you!