Monday, October 8, 2018

Sometimes Monday ...


... is a day to get up, take the lessons you've learned from a weekend of sadness, pondering, and wondering how to go on in a country where disdain and contempt for women is the norm, and move forward.

This letter from E.B. White, written in response to a man who had lost his faith in humanity has always helped me, and re-reading it helped me again after Mr. Kavanaugh's confirmation. 

Dear Mr. Nadeau:
As long as there is one upright man, as long as there is one compassionate woman, the contagion may spread and the scene is not desolate. Hope is the thing that is left to us, in a bad time. I shall get up Sunday morning and wind the clock, as a contribution to order and steadfastness.
Sailors have an expression about the weather: they say, the weather is a great bluffer. I guess the same is true of our human society — things can look dark, then a break shows in the clouds, and all is changed, sometimes rather suddenly. It is quite obvious that the human race has made a queer mess of life on this planet. But as a people we probably harbor seeds of goodness that have lain for a long time waiting to sprout when the conditions are right. Man’s curiosity, his relentlessness, his inventiveness, his ingenuity have led him into deep trouble. We can only hope that these same traits will enable him to claw his way out.
Hang on to your hat. Hang on to your hope. And wind the clock, for tomorrow is another day.
Sincerely,
E. B. White
So by all means, hang on to your hat, your hope, and wind the clock, but we must also educate ourselves, vote, and volunteer (here, here, or here are just a few possibilities). Make sure that Mitch McConnell learns how very wrong he was when he blithely stated that "these things always blow over." 

12 comments:

  1. These are very good thoughts for this Monday morning. It's good to focus on those around me who are just as outraged and ready to act.

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  2. Both an excellent reminder and a challenge to help bring about change. Thanks, Bonny.

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  3. I really need those words from Wise Mr. White this morning, Bonny. Thank you. I'm holding on to my hat . . .
    (And I have that very same clock! Wedding gift. . . )
    XO

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  4. Thank-you for that Bonny. (MM...ugh.) We can only hope!

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  5. I heard a local radio program talking about how we cope and move forward and they had hope that seeing the process will energize the independents to get out a vote for the democrats this fall. Their logic was sound. You give me the words I need to believe and keep hope.

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  6. Thank you, Bonny! I really needed to read those wise words of EB White. We have to move forward and hang on to our hats & hope.

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  7. Unfortunately, Mitch McConnell is not wrong. Remember Clarence Thomas? Hardly anyone ever even thinks of him anymore. And let's remember HE did his harrassment as an ADULT.

    All the pink hats and protest signs don't mean a thing in the world if those same people don't get out and VOTE!

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  8. Oh, Bonny, I cannot tell you how much I needed to read this post this morning. I have been a bit despondent of late about the state of our country and the cruelty that seems to be the engine that runs it these days. Thank you so much for this. It will provide me with a bit of a reset. I watched the Notorius RBG show on CNN this weekend, and I highly recommend it. Although I am a big fan of RBG, I was unaware of the extent of her work for women's rights until I watched it. She is definitely a beacon of hope and a lesson in the effectiveness of slow change. I am not feeling any more patient, but hopeful nonetheless. Again, thanks so much!

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  9. thank you for this... it truly helped me after a very dark week...

    Linda in VA

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  10. Thank you thank you thank you for this post. I hadn't felt quite so bad since the Trump election results. We have already received our absentee ballots so traveling will not interfere with voting. I have never had so little faith in elected and government appointed officials. So I'll be hanging onto my hat, my hope, and winding the clock.

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  11. This is exactly perfect and I think I might need to listen a bit more to dear E.B. White to get through these overwhelming days. Perhaps a bit of Charlotte's Web is just what is needed! Thank you so much for sharing this Bonny!

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