I feel so sad reading all this. Although I am an educated woman who would happily vote for our first woman President, I can understand that all sides of this race (let’s not forget we all more than 2 parties) have valid reasons for their votes. If only, say, 3% of voters picked an outlier, one could possibly think those people didn’t understand the issues. Yet, when voters are so evenly divided, it’s clear racial and economic differences play a part too.
It’s judgmental to state that 48% of people in the entire country are ignorant or cowardly or not self aware—- just because they see the issues at stake differently than we do. And of course, both sides do this, as so sadly illustrated in this post.
Hi Diana, I very much appreciate your concern and comment. I do hope you read the part of the post that said that there are many reasons why this is a close election. Perhaps I did not make it clear enough that I’m not demonizing or saying those who support other candidates are cowardly or ignorant or not self aware. If that what you got from the post, I must let you know that is not the case. My point was to name something that many people are feeling but do not have language yet to express. To walk with one another compassionately and authentically where ever our growing edge may be. There are many reasons and many layers to why people vote the way they do. Thank you for your message. I very much appreciate the opportunity to correct if I was unclear.
Yesterday, as I was closing up shop, I heard a large pickup truck coming up the road and that flapping sound that accompanies so many of them. You know type truck. As it passed I literally jumped for joy because that flapping sound was a flag in the truck bed the said, in big letters, HARRIS/WALZ. I have to believe kindness, and trust that there are so many others that are quietly heading to the poles and voting to not go back.
Carrie, what a wonderful, thoughtful post you've shared with us... I'm only now having a chance to read it on Thursday evening, but your words resonate with me, and I share the same thoughts as you do regarding internal discomfort and folks not wanting to admit it to themselves. I was curious about the closeness (as others and you have mentioned) and forgot to reckon that aspect in (the fear component is obvious to me) about a paradigm shift. Just because I see this as another normal candidate run-off (as in, I don't factor in that she's got a "gender barrier" to overcome) does NOT mean scads of others can't get past it! So... okay, is it making me feel better to see that it IS a real issue? You bet it is... those subliminal, subconscious auto-pilot, follow-your-cultural-teachings patterning is HUGE and actually 'excuses' people I know that have truly puzzled me in their lean toward a fascistic, chaotic, irrational and hateful human being when they themselves are FAR from that.
Looking forward to your presence in late November at the retreat. Stay strong, stay bright, keep on being that lodestone we all appreciate so very intensely.
Leaning into the Light here in Kentucky can feel like falling forward knowing there's no one to catch me... but lean in I must! And your long arms from Indiana always have a way of keeping me on my feet! :)
We attended the Kamala Harris rally in Erie, Pennsylvania this past Monday. We, along with THOUSANDS of joyful people waited in line for HOURS to get inside the arena. THREE THOUSAND we still waiting to get in when capacity was reached (4900 filled every seat and floor space!) So hopeful in our little corner of Pennsylvania. We’ve heard that Erie County, PA with just under 270,00 residents is the ultimate bellwether county not just for Pennsylvania but for the country. https://newjerseymonitor.com/2024/10/14/you-pick-the-next-president-pivotal-erie-county-pennsylvania-rallies-for-harris/
Then Wednesday 4000 people came to hear Liz Cheney and Sister Joan Chittister in conversation at the Erie Bayfront Convention Center. A powerful respectful evening that brought everyone to their feet with thunderous applause.
Friday I attended poll worker training for Election Day. I tried to hold the hope and enthusiasm in my heart as they described the added scrutiny we would all be under as we work from 6:00am until after the polls close at 8pm and then cleanup and securing the votes.
Saturday my husband and I canvassed for the first time ever. A long afternoon. We were happy tired, especially knowing we registered at least one more college age voter.
Someone so wise wrote…(thank you very much, Carrie!)
I can't change the whole world
But I can change the world I know
What's within three feet or so
All this to say I’ll keep trying to find small ways, what is within three feet or so… to keep moving forward doing what is possible with as much joy and hope as I can muster.
thank you, Carrie, for your concert @Swallow Hill last night. There was some kind of magic in the room and you built it into healing spirit. I came away both energized and calm as we all move forward leaning into (and trusting) the light. I have long been a fan of your music, but last night was my first time to see you. I am now a devoted follower. Your quiet leadership and words of courage and encouragement truly build the momentum for us to break free on the other side of the fear and tradition. Onward! and thank you.
Carrie your posts are such a soothing balm for some very raw hearts. I just can't understand how anyone could vote for such a mean, vile, demented man and yet it seems half the country thinks this is okay. But I hold so much hope that we will, as a country, choose to move forward for a better country/world. My daughter voted this past week and she said that she actually teared up a bit as she pushed the button for Harris! I told her those were tears of hope...a hope that so many of us hold dearly.
Thank you for the balm that quiets the anxiety a bit!
Thank you for this necessary post! I have mailed in my vote, and the excitement I feel is as palpable as the dread I feel if this election goes sideways. But I’m holding closely that excitement, that hope in lasting change for the better!
I’ve been so positively overcome with anxiety about this election. I’ve been really perplexed about why it seems so close, too, and I think what you said makes sense. I’m voting, proudly, for Kamala for so many reasons. A world that bends away from the patriarchy is a better world for ALL…men, women, non-binary. Democracy is quite literally on the line here and I’m going to do what I can in these next couple weeks to hopefully see the outcome this country sorely needs. Thank you for everything, Carrie!
I so appreciate your view and soul Carrie. I voted Thursday in the State of Tennessee. I see a yard sign almost every other yard around me that reminds me what is at stake as I envision whomever has taken the time to place the sign of candidates who embrace hate in their yard as someone suffering. I do not always understand that suffering and feel, as you, that the suffering and fear has been fed a false narrative.
I will still admit to a deep sense of fear and also possibility. I know my limbic creature has cast me into a negativity bias spell so to speak reminding me of how I felt November 2016 waking up to find the results of that election and getting nauseated and sick. So Mr. Limibc tries to "prepare" me? I also know that the soul and spirit inside me seeks joy and compassion and hope and resilience. And so..here we go. No matter what I treasure this space as a safe entry into lifting each other up. May it remain
Solving patriarchy requires sharing power, especially executive power, ideally equally. At a minimum, power should be shared proportionally to votes earned, so women and minorities would routinely share a seat/voice/vote at our executive tables. Winner-take-all excluding everyone else perpetuates the hierarchy of patriarchy, as does majority rules, and Robert's Rules of Order. The radical equality of Jesus shared power with imperfect human apostles, proclaimed women/king/slave/enemy all equal, and sought the needs of the least to voluntarily serve. Wisdom worth listening and choosing?
I feel so sad reading all this. Although I am an educated woman who would happily vote for our first woman President, I can understand that all sides of this race (let’s not forget we all more than 2 parties) have valid reasons for their votes. If only, say, 3% of voters picked an outlier, one could possibly think those people didn’t understand the issues. Yet, when voters are so evenly divided, it’s clear racial and economic differences play a part too.
It’s judgmental to state that 48% of people in the entire country are ignorant or cowardly or not self aware—- just because they see the issues at stake differently than we do. And of course, both sides do this, as so sadly illustrated in this post.
Hi Diana, I very much appreciate your concern and comment. I do hope you read the part of the post that said that there are many reasons why this is a close election. Perhaps I did not make it clear enough that I’m not demonizing or saying those who support other candidates are cowardly or ignorant or not self aware. If that what you got from the post, I must let you know that is not the case. My point was to name something that many people are feeling but do not have language yet to express. To walk with one another compassionately and authentically where ever our growing edge may be. There are many reasons and many layers to why people vote the way they do. Thank you for your message. I very much appreciate the opportunity to correct if I was unclear.
Yesterday, as I was closing up shop, I heard a large pickup truck coming up the road and that flapping sound that accompanies so many of them. You know type truck. As it passed I literally jumped for joy because that flapping sound was a flag in the truck bed the said, in big letters, HARRIS/WALZ. I have to believe kindness, and trust that there are so many others that are quietly heading to the poles and voting to not go back.
Carrie, what a wonderful, thoughtful post you've shared with us... I'm only now having a chance to read it on Thursday evening, but your words resonate with me, and I share the same thoughts as you do regarding internal discomfort and folks not wanting to admit it to themselves. I was curious about the closeness (as others and you have mentioned) and forgot to reckon that aspect in (the fear component is obvious to me) about a paradigm shift. Just because I see this as another normal candidate run-off (as in, I don't factor in that she's got a "gender barrier" to overcome) does NOT mean scads of others can't get past it! So... okay, is it making me feel better to see that it IS a real issue? You bet it is... those subliminal, subconscious auto-pilot, follow-your-cultural-teachings patterning is HUGE and actually 'excuses' people I know that have truly puzzled me in their lean toward a fascistic, chaotic, irrational and hateful human being when they themselves are FAR from that.
Looking forward to your presence in late November at the retreat. Stay strong, stay bright, keep on being that lodestone we all appreciate so very intensely.
Leaning into the Light here in Kentucky can feel like falling forward knowing there's no one to catch me... but lean in I must! And your long arms from Indiana always have a way of keeping me on my feet! :)
We attended the Kamala Harris rally in Erie, Pennsylvania this past Monday. We, along with THOUSANDS of joyful people waited in line for HOURS to get inside the arena. THREE THOUSAND we still waiting to get in when capacity was reached (4900 filled every seat and floor space!) So hopeful in our little corner of Pennsylvania. We’ve heard that Erie County, PA with just under 270,00 residents is the ultimate bellwether county not just for Pennsylvania but for the country. https://newjerseymonitor.com/2024/10/14/you-pick-the-next-president-pivotal-erie-county-pennsylvania-rallies-for-harris/
Then Wednesday 4000 people came to hear Liz Cheney and Sister Joan Chittister in conversation at the Erie Bayfront Convention Center. A powerful respectful evening that brought everyone to their feet with thunderous applause.
Friday I attended poll worker training for Election Day. I tried to hold the hope and enthusiasm in my heart as they described the added scrutiny we would all be under as we work from 6:00am until after the polls close at 8pm and then cleanup and securing the votes.
Saturday my husband and I canvassed for the first time ever. A long afternoon. We were happy tired, especially knowing we registered at least one more college age voter.
Someone so wise wrote…(thank you very much, Carrie!)
I can't change the whole world
But I can change the world I know
What's within three feet or so
All this to say I’ll keep trying to find small ways, what is within three feet or so… to keep moving forward doing what is possible with as much joy and hope as I can muster.
thank you, Carrie, for your concert @Swallow Hill last night. There was some kind of magic in the room and you built it into healing spirit. I came away both energized and calm as we all move forward leaning into (and trusting) the light. I have long been a fan of your music, but last night was my first time to see you. I am now a devoted follower. Your quiet leadership and words of courage and encouragement truly build the momentum for us to break free on the other side of the fear and tradition. Onward! and thank you.
Just : thank you. United we win, divided we fall. Your words mean so much.
Carrie your posts are such a soothing balm for some very raw hearts. I just can't understand how anyone could vote for such a mean, vile, demented man and yet it seems half the country thinks this is okay. But I hold so much hope that we will, as a country, choose to move forward for a better country/world. My daughter voted this past week and she said that she actually teared up a bit as she pushed the button for Harris! I told her those were tears of hope...a hope that so many of us hold dearly.
Thank you for the balm that quiets the anxiety a bit!
Thank you for this necessary post! I have mailed in my vote, and the excitement I feel is as palpable as the dread I feel if this election goes sideways. But I’m holding closely that excitement, that hope in lasting change for the better!
I’ve been so positively overcome with anxiety about this election. I’ve been really perplexed about why it seems so close, too, and I think what you said makes sense. I’m voting, proudly, for Kamala for so many reasons. A world that bends away from the patriarchy is a better world for ALL…men, women, non-binary. Democracy is quite literally on the line here and I’m going to do what I can in these next couple weeks to hopefully see the outcome this country sorely needs. Thank you for everything, Carrie!
Carrie, as you know I often think in terms of music -- here is a song from Claire Lynch to remind of hope https://youtu.be/bvyiwuYpm0s?si=3GVWFLYvtZgYe2p2
I so appreciate your view and soul Carrie. I voted Thursday in the State of Tennessee. I see a yard sign almost every other yard around me that reminds me what is at stake as I envision whomever has taken the time to place the sign of candidates who embrace hate in their yard as someone suffering. I do not always understand that suffering and feel, as you, that the suffering and fear has been fed a false narrative.
I will still admit to a deep sense of fear and also possibility. I know my limbic creature has cast me into a negativity bias spell so to speak reminding me of how I felt November 2016 waking up to find the results of that election and getting nauseated and sick. So Mr. Limibc tries to "prepare" me? I also know that the soul and spirit inside me seeks joy and compassion and hope and resilience. And so..here we go. No matter what I treasure this space as a safe entry into lifting each other up. May it remain
My prayers are constant as my hope grows. May we usher in this new reality!!! Thank you so much for your songs that lift me every day❤️
Solving patriarchy requires sharing power, especially executive power, ideally equally. At a minimum, power should be shared proportionally to votes earned, so women and minorities would routinely share a seat/voice/vote at our executive tables. Winner-take-all excluding everyone else perpetuates the hierarchy of patriarchy, as does majority rules, and Robert's Rules of Order. The radical equality of Jesus shared power with imperfect human apostles, proclaimed women/king/slave/enemy all equal, and sought the needs of the least to voluntarily serve. Wisdom worth listening and choosing?
Thank you Carrie! Looking forward to youre concert tonight at Swallow Hill! 💕💕💕
Thank you, Carrie! Your words give me courage, hope and forward momentum for good. Thank you!