Recent events in this country – particularly the shooting deaths of black men by police officers, the subsequent fatal attacks on police officers and the GOP’s nomination of Donald Trump for president of the United States –have left me practically paralyzed with despair. I watch CNN far too obsessively and I waste hours daily on Facebook, despite knowing full well that both outlets exacerbate my anguish.
While I’m tempted to hide on Cape Cod in my beautiful garden, with my devoted dog Stella, I’ve pushed myself to ask: What can I do to make a difference in the world right now? What’s my biggest contribution to helping heal a world filled with hatred, pain, prejudice, spite and anger?
I can support causes with my money, time and energy, of course, but I want, I need to do more. Even if I only succeed in making myself feel better and neutralizing the negative energy that’s threatening to overtake me, I can still try and have an impact. And my best tool is and always has been my words.
With that I start my blog. My goal is to write daily, even if it’s only a few words. I’ve been stuck for so long – since I finished Legendary Locals of Newton probably. Writing here daily will be good for my creativity. And my productivity.
I want to share my thoughts, the ones I’m reluctant to write in a Facebook post. I want to write about what it feels like to be a white, privileged upper-middle class woman right now. I want to vent and make somebody laugh. I want to share and make someone cry. I want to make people stop, think and consider an alternative point of view. I want to speak my mind.
A word about the name for this blog: Before I was hired as editor, I wrote a column for the Newton TAB. I titled it “Consider This,” because really, that’s all I ask of my readers.