I’m Back in Black

***I’ll start off by saying that this post is heavily politically opinionated, but I am asking you not to stop reading if you disagree. If you feel negatively about what I’m about to say, please engage with my questions at the end of the post.***

It would be quite the understatement to say, “It’s been a while since my last post,” so I’ll skip that part and get straight to it.

Two weeks from today, Donald Trump will become the 45th president of the United States.

I will not be delicate in my opinion of this impending doom for life as we know it in this country. Already, all of our worst fears about this destructive, manipulative, unqualified president elect have started to come into fruition, and despite the hard work of progressive people across America, there’s nothing we can do to stop January 20th from happening.

Like many people who are not excited about (and frankly, fearful of) Trump’s “great” American overhaul, my veins have been pulsating with rage since November 8th, a day that should have been a victory for the movement towards equality. As stated in a previous post of mine, I suffer from anxiety of a frequently crippling nature. Though I’ve gotten to a much more stable place in my life (thank you, graduation), every new development in the immediate future of our country sends a shockwave of dread and fear through my bones.

In a time like this, it is hard to find hope. It is hard to find strength. Most importantly, it is hard to find the will power to listen to and empathize with anyone who doesn’t share the same opinion.

I have been an avid reader all my life, and I think I can attribute my keen sense of empathy to that fact. In reading, we are thrown into the eyes, ears, hearts, and brains of someone else. We have direct access to places and times we have never or cannot ever be a part of in reality by giving ourselves over to the narrative of someone else’s experience.

Therefore, I have made a promise to myself that I will spend these next four (please, only four) years devouring and digesting as much literature as I can. I will find hope in stories of growth, change, and human compassion. I will find strength by reading about all different kinds of people overcoming great adversity. I will learn to empathize with the other side of an issue by compelling myself to dive into a book written or suggested by someone whom I disagree with.

Communication is more important than “right and wrong.” Flexibility of attention and understanding are crucial to constructive, productive dialogue. Anger is easy, but compassion, empathy, and ferociously constant questioning are necessary. This is not a time to stick our heads in the sand and ride out a presidential term. The ability to turn a blind eye and pretend like it isn’t happening is a privilege that works directly against the progress that we have been working so hard to preserve.

I would like to challenge everyone to spend more of their time reading in 2017. Pick up a memoir by your favorite actor. Ask a coworker what they’re reading this week. Go to the library and browse a section you’ve never spent any time in. Just read the summaries. See if something sparks.

To be clear, I’m not asking you to stick to solely non-fiction books. I think it is important to read from a broad variety of genres, especially within fiction. You may be wondering, “how the hell is a sci-fi book about space ships and aliens going to teach me anything about this current moment?” In response to that, I will point out that the entire Star Wars franchise is about overcoming an oppressive government system, not to mention the fact that there is a crazy amount of intergalactic equality in terms of the different species of the universe (except for the Ewoks. I’m sure there are more exceptions, but I’m a Star Wars newbie. Please don’t quiz me on my in depth knowledge on the subject. Don’t be that guy. You get the general idea.).

If you’re reading this post and you’re thinking, “This girl is just a typical little millennial feminist who has no idea what she’s talking about,” first of all, thank you. I love being both of those things. Second of all, don’t hate, educate! Give me books to read in order to learn what ever it is you think I don’t understand. In return, I will thank you, put your book on my TBR list, and do my damnedest to try to figure out where you’re coming from. My opinions are not without holes and flaws. There is a lot I know that I don’t know. Teach me. I want to learn.

Times are really hard right now. There is a lot of division, danger, and death around every corner. However, it is also one of the best times in history to be alive. Our friends across the country are just a mouse click away. Common colds don’t mean certain death anymore. We can search and learn about just about anything we want with the $600 piece of metal and glass in our pockets. You can find a picture of a cat dressed in just about any pop culture costume you can think of if you’re willing to look hard enough.

Blah blah blah all I’m saying is that with all of this connectivity at our fingertips, separation is not the answer. You are living the only life you’re ever going to have, but there is easy access into millions upon millions of different perspectives available to anyone with access to a library and/or computer.

Not everyone has this privilege, the privilege to know, be known, discuss, understand, question, and grow. If you’re reading this, you. do. It would be a shame to let all that go to waste, don’t you think?