by Princess

 

Lately, it’s been hard to write about just one thing.

I have lived in Trump’s America for nearly two weeks, and in that time 437 hate crimes have been committed. Swastikas painted on churches and parks, children chanting ‘Build the Wall’ to scared classmates and physical assaults that have been decidedly anti-black or anti-immigrant have many people afraid.

While I don’t personally fear Trump supporters (please, by all means, catch these hands), as a black queer woman, I do fear that that violence may find itself crashing through my front door because the vice president believes conversion therapy can turn people straight.

Since the appointment of several racists, sexists, and white nationalists to high level positions in Trump’s administration, the next four years will are coming into a sharper focus. State-sanctioned and sponsored violence of all kinds.

Thousands of people are in North Dakota standing with the Lakota people against a company committed to poisoning this country’s water.

This world has become a place we used to only read about or watch on a screen adapted from a young adult or science fiction book/screenplay. And unless they really value dramatic timing, there are no alien superheroes coming to save us from ourselves.

Aside from the terrible realities playing out across the country, life in general continues to be complicated and painful. My uncle died last week and I was unable to go to the funeral. he one-year anniversary of my friend dying of cancer came and went without me being able to do much but not cry.

So, it’s been hard to write about just one thing.

Fortunately, the daily writing practice below has been saving me. Every day, in a few minutes with my notebook, I can just concentrate on flowing with whatever comes out. Since I’m only committing myself to 50 words, the exercise is largely low pressure and more about the rhythm in writing five words per line than the full 50 words total that’s been carrying me.

The practice allows me to write within a structure that could go on forever. I can take an idea or image and describe it as fully as possible without wasting words, and then have enough space to finish the piece strong. I don’t have to compartmentalize my feelings. I don’t have to write pretty.  Everything can exist together like they do in my spirit, interconnected and messy but real.

Tatyana and I will be teaching this daily practice as the core curriculum of Restorative Writers. The course, as a whole, is geared toward cultivating the faith to keep creating together despite these dark times we are facing. If you’re interested in learning and contributed to a community dedicated to creating real and necessary work, then register below.