Light in the Darkness
The terror inflicted on our brothers and sisters in Minneapolis has rendered this winter particularly cold and dark. Masked federal agents operating outside the law, assaulting and murdering citizens in broad daylight with impunity. People snatched off the streets and pulled from their cars to be disappeared into detention centers, with thousands of fathers, sisters, and children sent halfway across the country. Journalists arrested for covering a protest. A daily deluge of lies and doublespeak by government officials with utter disregard for our laws and Constitution while cloaked in patriotism for a beloved nation now rendered unrecognizable. Heavy grows my heart.
Hope is vital. We are not helpless, and we cannot afford to become numbed by disbelief or paralyzed by grief. Because Minneapolis is just one in a series of tests by this administration to see what they can get away with. These are tests of Americans’ will to fight for the values and freedoms we hold dear, including free and fair elections (you can read about the demands sent by the US Attorney General to Governor Tim Walz here: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/26/pam-bondi-minnesota-voter-rolls-ice-surge). So we’re going to need our strength, to stay engaged, to have each other’s backs. Let us take inspiration from the people of Minneapolis who are protesting peacefully, walking their endangered neighbors’ children to school, bringing meals to those sheltering in place.
Here’s how I’m nurturing my little light and trying to stay warm:
Using 5calls.org to make my voice heard. This website (also an app) makes it super easy to call your legislators. Just type in your zip code and click on the issues important to you, and a bulleted list of important points appears. Below that will be a relevant state or US representative with their phone numbers. Just tap to call and put it on speaker, then return to the page and reference the suggested script. If you leave voicemail, be sure to provide both your name and address so it counts. I find this an empowering way to start or end my day.
Watching, not staring at, the news. I limit myself to one deep dive per week and otherwise get the broad updates and move on to other things.
Turning my phone into a tool for good by:
Amplifying important information on social media by reposting news and analysis from trusted sources like National Public Radio, The New York Times, and historian Heather Cox Richardson.
Reaching out to family and friends, just to let them know I’m thinking of them and to ask how they are.
Dedicating time each day to relax and be present by silencing my phone and placing it out of sight while meditating, reading, journaling, watching TV, or snuggling with my dog.
Meeting my body’s basic needs. This means getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep, drinking enough water, eating at least two healthy meals per day, and exercising three times per week.
People around the world have survived worse regimes. You are not alone.
And Spring is coming, my friends. Spring is coming.
What have you found helpful in navigating the fear and uncertainty of these times?