“Share Your Heart, Not Your Spleen”

Share Your Heart, Not Your Spleen

 

I’m one of countless people who are approaching exhaustion from being chronically depressed, angry and vigilant ever since He Who Shall Remain Nameless From Now On and His Henchmen assumed control of the executive branch of government.

 

(I was going to say “our” government, but it hasn’t ever really been our government (except in fits and starts). The oligarchs, plutocrats, corporations, racists, sexists and xenophobes of the world rule it right now. To call The U.S.A. a democracy or a even democratic republic is a bald-faced lie that is still being perpetrated in schools.)

 

But here’s the thing. Staying with the depressed/RESIST vibe isn’t healthy for anyone long term. It puts us very close to the lowest-end frequencies of spirit as the bad guys. When we try to fight from their level, we weaken ourselves. 

 

Yeah, it’s good to resist in very way we can. In fact, it’s imperative that we resist in every way we can.

 

But I woke up this morning with this on my brain: Share Your Heart, Not Your Spleen.

 

What I witnessed at Tacoma PRIDE yesterday was unmitigated love, positive energy, and joy. Every age group was represented, from grade school through old geezer/wheezer (I was one of the wheezers yesterday, still fighting this damned bronchitis or whatever it is!).

 

Affirming churches and synagogues were represented.

 

“Happy Pride!” and “Enjoy Pride!” were exchanged dozens of times.

 

I wish anti-LGBTQI individuals would deign to visit a Pride Festival. I think what they find there would soften their stance and might even give them a leg up on understanding and a step toward equal justice for all.

 

LGBTQI individuals are, for the most part, wonderful people (just as most straight people are) and the ones who turn out for PRIDE Festivals (and their allies, which also attend in droves, wearing t-shirts that proclaim, “I’m STRAIGHT, NOT NARROW”) are explicitly so.

 

They attend to have a whee of a time, to receive unabashed love and affection from the community, and to dance, laugh, visit booths and get goodies (campaign buttons, free health screenings, great books, good information about what’s readily available to support and entertain the LGBTQI population in Tacoma, etc.).

 

I came home with so many buttons, the cork board in my den is now FULL!!!  (This is my third year attending PRIDE. I’d have to be dead NOT to attend it every year.)

 

It’s lovely to see people being unabashedly themselves, arm in arm with their loved ones, dressed as the kings and queens they are, entertaining from the main stage, delighting attendees in every corner of the  place… people of all complexions, all faiths and no faith, smiling, feeling safe and free and fabulous just to be able to proclaim (silently), “I make no apology, this is me!” (Cue The Greatest Showman soundtrack!)

 

This is the America I want to proclaim: inclusive, loving, encouraging, compassionate, helpful, engaging…

 

This is the vibe I want to carry with me every time I get on social media from now on.

 

In know there are times when we have to get in the trenches and hunker down for some serious warfare. But we don’t need to make it an every-hour-of-the-day frontal assault on what’s WRONG.

 

Instead, a daily reminder of what’s BEST is a better way to raise the vibe and to let the bigots know they’re missing out by trying to marginalize or negate what the real world is all about: diversity, community, and caring!!!

 

Here’s a sampling of the buttons I’ve collected at PRIDE Festivals over the years

 

No H8

I Am What I Am

I Stand with LGBTQI Immigrants and Refugees

Ask My Pronouns

There are more than two genders

Love is all it takes to make a family

Don’t feed or tease the straight people

He/Him/His

She/Her

They/Them

The Future is Inclusive

You are the image of God

Silence=Death

Equal Rights are not Special Rights

Pro YOU

Love Wins

Don’t trade in your authenticity for approval

We are One

Trans Pride Seattle

Stay away from people who make you feel you’re hard to love

Treat everyone as if they may save your life someday

Safe Space

Disarm Hate

I am a man not trapped in a woman’s body but in other people’s perceptions of what it is to be Man or Woman

RESIST

Proud Every Day

I Support Quality Sex Education

I Stand with Planned Parenthood

Love Can Look Like You (on a mirror)