“We cannot become the worst version of ourselves in our attempts at resistance. We must resist, as we do, with all the strength and persistence in us, but also with all the grace, empathy, and humility we can muster. It is the only way we can save not just the country but our selves.” GraceStrengthHumilitySurvivalEmpathyResistancePersistenceResistResistance Making Author:Shellen Lubin
“Where is home? What is the way home? I am not sure of much but that the only way to find it is together.” HomeTogetherCommunityCompassionStrengthUnityComing HomeSolidarityTogetherness Author:Shellen Lubin
“The RNC was easy for Trump to corrupt to his will, because it had already been corrupted with voter suppression, Frank Luntz messaging, the Hastert Rule, the selling of Sarah Palin, telling different lies to different voters just to gain their support, Mitch McConnell's theft of the supreme court (assisted by those justices prevaricating at their senate hearings), to name just a few. And how about the New York Times, and all those journalists country-wide who cared more about appearing "fair and balanced" than exposing lies and corruption? We watched them not know how to handle the vilification of facts, but that, too, started before Trump (think Joe Walsh calling out "You lie!" during Obama's State of the Union, when Obama was stating facts. They reported the lack of decorum, but not the lack of veracity.) Now we watch the legal system--and its avenues for motions and appeals before, during, and after conviction--be abused and corrupted by Trump's legal team, with an assist from judges who don't even try too hard to hide their partiality. We need those who participated whose eyes have now cleared to be as forthcoming as Michael Cohen has been in exposing how and why the deeds were done, and owning their culpability. They need to come clean, to help us find ways to strengthen the frayed and fraying institutions that are barely holding together. It may be the only way through.” JusticeVisionStrengthTrumpSurvivalLiesAbuseSalvationCorruptionCome Clean Author:Shellen Lubin
“The 'originalism' of which they speak (they being the Supreme Court, the Federalist Society, and affiliated lawyers and politicians) treats the constitution like Evangelists treat the bible: they cherry-pick at whim which tenets they will uphold and which they will ignore, and, also, which they will distort so the text seems to agree with whatever it is they're claiming. Of course, it's as absurd to believe there is only deep truth to be found by trying to get into the mindset of a privileged white slave-owning land-owning cis male founder of this country as there is by trying to get into the mindset of whoever you believe wrote down the various pieces of the bible, both old and new testaments. And now they're chopping down the cherry tree out in the open with us all watching (well, watching only when we're not getting felled along with the branches) and they're speaking the truth about their intentions in a document called Project 2025. We all must read it carefully, read it and weep, weep and get angry, get angry and build strength, and then do all we can to stop them. It's now, baby, or never.” TruthStrengthConstitutionCrisisManipulationSupreme CourtEvangelismDistortionCherry Picked Originalism Author:Shellen Lubin
“It's easy to be afraid right now, but doing things that scare you makes you stronger, makes fear less of an obstacle, allows us to find ways to dance in that liminal space-- that contradictory co-existing reality-- of afraid not afraid. We need to keep doing things that really scare us, to remind ourselves that it is just a thing, what we call fear-- and that as much as there are real things to fear, that thing itself is the only thing that can paralyze us. Love, passion, hunger, desire, lead us forward to dance with our fear so we can do it, yes, and also so we learn that we can do it again and again, and live with the failures-- learn from the failures-- when our fears are realized (another topic entirely). Take heart.” LoveHeartDesirePassionFearLearningStrengthHungerTriumphAfraid Not Afraid Author:Shellen Lubin
“Where we are strongest it is the easiest to stay open, fluid-- curtains of lace and linen instead of walls of steel-- open borders (at least for those with passports and visas or the will to earn citizenship in our personal territory), never losing clarity, because that is where we are strong. Where our resolve is weakest is where we have to draw the hardest lines for ourselves, for others, for the world. We can't afford to give a little, because, well, our resolve is too likely to give way when so tested. It sounds so simple. But it can be so hard to do. Where we are weak, the hard lines must be drawn strong.” RiskStrengthBoundariesClarityBordersResolveOpennessAutonomyWallsHard Lines Author:Shellen Lubin
“It is the nature of life, the world, that nothing tangible, nothing holding us up and leading us forward in this dance can be counted on.” WorldLifeNatureChangeFreedomStrengthMovementBeginningDirectionLetting Go Again Author:Shellen Lubin
“Vote for the ones without voter i.d. In jails or in districts without parity. Vote for the idlers and despairers who wouldn't. Vote for the women and slaves who just couldn't. Vote for your immigrant ancestors all; They're pleading that you hear democracy's call. Bring friends! Cast your ballots! Just get out and vote! Let's keep our two-century-old-country afloat. We all must stand strong, and we all must make clear: "We are here! We are here! We are here! We are here!” WomenDemocracyStrengthCommitmentVoteVotingImmigrantsSlavesGet Out The Vote Author:Shellen Lubin
“Every single day is tzimmes Because Everyone you know is tzimmes And so Everyone you love is tzimmes” LoveStrengthSweetJudaismJewishComplexMusicalsZaydehs Tzimmes Author:Shellen Lubin
“It was an insane venture. And then, while I was working away at figuring out how to make it happen, I watched Inventing Anna, and at the end of the whole series of episodes, this accomplished con artist was asked what most surprised her about people... She said she was surprised that people couldn't live with a higher level of anxiety. She believed that that was what brought her down. And at that moment I knew that that was what I needed to get through this whole venture: to be able to live with that level of anxiety. And I could. And I did.” LoveStrengthVictoryAnxietyTriumphInsanityPersevereJewishMusicalsOther Side Of Fear Author:Shellen Lubin
“I have always tried... to counter the forces of deeply embedded systemic power structures, the ruthless abuse of that power, and the pull to regression to the benefit of some at the expense of others. Those forces are strong. We are stronger. Never forget that.” HumanityCompassionPowerStrengthBalanceAbuseResilienceOppressionRepressionScotus Fail Author:Shellen Lubin
“We may lose battles but we are stronger and the only thing that can defeat us ultimately is our willingness to accept defeat. We cannot accept defeat. I do not accept defeat.” HopeLossStrengthBattleResilienceResistancePersistenceResolveIrrepressibleScotus Fail Author:Shellen Lubin
“I need the gratitude-- not to be happy-- the joy and sweetness will come when they do-- but to regain the strength for the struggle to keep working to make it better.” JoyStruggleStrengthSweetGratitudeImprovementPersistence Author:Shellen Lubin
“How do any of us find the strength to keep going? Because the work itself is empowering and fulfilling. And because we are not alone in trying to do better, to make things better.” StrengthEmpowermentPerseveranceImprovementFulfillmentSelflessnessLight Web Author:Shellen Lubin
“Change happens. Loss happens. With or without your input. Afraid you’ll fall, you’ll fail, You’ll flail, you’ll falter. The more you fall, the sooner you learn How to recover, repair, rebuild. The more you flail Or falter, the more you get How to regain equilibrium. The more you fail, the more you see Success demands—requires— Failure. Make a move. Now. Or now. Take a breath. Catch a breeze. Like riding a bicycle Your legs going round and round Will build strength Gain balance Find a way. Forward. Beyond thought. Beyond instruction. The internal systems Never forget. You just have to Make a move.” SuccessFallChangeStrengthMovementFailureBalanceRecoveryBreathMake A Move Author:Shellen Lubin
“Rest: as beautiful and necessary a task as any. How else can we remember to breathe? to think? to shut out the world? to not think? to regain the strength to take on the world? to take in the world with all our senses? to dream?” DreamsStrengthSolitudeReflectionMental HealthSensesSelf CareRestBreathEnd Of Summer Author:Shellen Lubin