Letting Go

"There are no more tears to give in to and
I give up.

It doesn't feel like waiting this time,

It feels like mourning."

You never know what happened to people that made them the way they are.

Think of the worst things that a person could live through. The kind that make it to the news. The kind that don't. The kind that people write books about. The kind that remain terrible secrets, and quiet traumas.

Wouldn't you want to show a lot of kindness to a person who has been through that?

You brush shoulders with these people. These are your perfect strangers out and about, your colleagues and classmates, even your friends and relatives to mention a few.

You never know what happened to people that made them the way they are, and most of the time you never will.

Sometimes a person may finally share it, but it is often much later. Sometimes they never say it at all. But if it ever comes out to somebody, it's probably to the ones who started off treating them with respect and not judging to begin with.

So every time you meet someone, especially when there is someone you just don't understand, remember this:

You never know what happened to people that made them the way they are.

If you approach every person with the kindness you would show to the one who lived through the worst things, then you will be kind to that person many times.

If you are cruel to those you don't understand, you will be cruel to people you would have wanted to give your kindness to the most.

Quiet night

The night is so quiet, in all the right ways.

It's June 2020 and there are two down two to go

Several times it has hit me that at the end of the virus, in addition to the horrendous losses from the virus itself there will be other losses after quarantine, of places we really like. I've considered that it would be good for "someone" to start a database of small businesses.

My mom and I set a goal very early on, just before the pandemic got here, to sew masks for a lot of people, starting with those on a long list.

An idea has been brewing, about a a way to connect concerned citizens with environmental professions.

I've been really, really tempted to coin the term "Anti-Masker" on Facebook.

Two down, two to go.

Mid June, This Mongolian Summer Night

It's a little past midnight, and I'm on a deck in front of a Canadian lake. You can smell the lake tonight, and I am typing an essay on laptop, on the adult-sized lawnchair I finally bought last summer. (In a lunar way it's summer in Mongolia, where I left my heart even though I've never actually been there before).

With the lights on the glassy water, and a glimpse of a shooting star, my heart is bright, and with the glow of the warm nighttime screen my fingers are hot as I type out my essay on Chinese philosophy. 

Chilledcow lofi hip hop radio on in the background

I haven't felt this kind of happy in a long time; with such a pleasant flow of words. (Stress really does do things to you). This is where I'm supposed to be.

Wearing my pink flannel it's a little warm, but in a nice way.

The mosquitos are out, but so are the stars.

My hands are warm and my heart is bright, smelling the Canadian lake ahead on this Mongolian Summer night.

dazy

dazey
dazy
dazie
das...
daisie

Forgot how to spell that.

"She's the problem"

When we're talking about non-heinous, everyday problems, can we please all agree to refrain from calling any person "the problem" here?

It is different to say someone has a problem or is causing a problem. However, saying someone's existence is a problem is not only very brutal but it transfers all responsibility and power to a single person, which is unrealistic. It would be more beneficial to all of us to be proactive.
ˡᵘⁿᵃʳ~ʷᶦⁿᵈˢ
~~

At the time that I write down these thoughts that have brewed over a few years, the world is extremely turbulent. The world is trying to address truly heinous things, in the midst of a pandemic. There has been a distinct string of crises, and it is easy to see the stress getting to people. It has led to a lot of thinking about past situations where conflict resolution was necessary.

Times things worked out. Times I wish I knew what I do now.

In my early 20s I had a year when on average someone I knew died every month. Life and lives just happened to end up that way. People were unwell physically and emotionally, and it just went on until it all stopped.

This preamble exists because I want people who have experienced that kind of loss to understand what I'm saying next, and not take offense to it.

While nobody I know has died this month, there is this feeling of loss.

And that is all.

strong

How old were you when for the first time someone else was there to be strong for you?

Reaction to Ocean Wise Awards

Dr. Suzuki is sad.

Mr Suzuki, just in case I die tomorrow, very little Melody many moons ago had certain thoughts she would have wanted to say that ended up in a poem building over the years:

Another Way (2013-ish)

When all the boys and all the girls

March to call for a better world,

Kneel to plant a million seeds,

But how do you uproot the greed?

While they say progress isn't slow

You still can't bid the wind to blow,

Dismiss the tide to turn away,

We still live to die another day.

Throw aside what you've picked up

Unload and walk with your head up

There are other things worth waiting for

It is right outside the door.

Fly with the wind, embrace the shore

This is what we were made for.

Though the sun's still shining bright

And on our side the lawn's alright

There's still drought on someone's side

Fueling this big carbon ride.

Animals shouldn't have to go away

Because humans kind of chose to stay

There still is a better way

All live and thrive the other way

Nickels and dimes can't cure a sin,

Won't get us out what pulled us in.

No thanks big roads we'll take the trail

We can go breathe easy there.

Throw aside what you've picked up

Unload and walk with your head up

There are other things worth waiting for

It is right outside the door.

Fly with the wind, embrace the shore

This is what we were made for.

Just because a person doesn't talk about it doesn't mean it's not there.

Careful, just because a person doesn't talk about it doesn't mean it's not there.

People are often too quick to judge, when there is so much more to a person's life than what they may externalize for you to see.

Revisiting "The Water You Don't Have to Run Through" May 2020

'"Privileged" is a relative term. Personally I don't consider privileged as necessarily being born into unfair advantage, or something that you shouldn't have. It's about not being born into a situation of inherent disadvantage.

Think of it this way: we all have to run through an obstacle course. This is life. We could choose different paths with different obstacles we may or may not know about. But there's a catch: Some people are forced to run the all spaces between the same obstacles, but through water. The amount of water you don't have to run through is the privilege you have.'"

The heartbreaking truth is that some people are inherently born into water, and face a dangerous current that threatens to sweep away life.