Out to sea

Yesterday, I was sorely tempted to simply hit “publish” and let the title of this post speak for itself. I am glad that I didn’t.

For while I woke up today with that feeling of being lost again, my eyes aching from last nights tears of disappointment, I remembered another series of mornings, not long ago. When I was staying with my friends in Menton, I would start each day by pulling back the curtains and standing before an open window to face the sea. My gaze would soften as I tried to focus on what was beyond fixation, out to the line and beyond, into unkowing. And how strong that felt to me then, the possibility present, thumping, alive.

My Mother and my Sister are attending their local version of the Women’s March in Ann Arbor, Michigan. My American friend C is training up to Paris from this tiny village to participate. How proud I am and what hope this instills.

For while there is leisure lulling on the beaches (a constant echo back to other times, memories that seem all the richer for their distance), out on the waves, we can make our voices heard. After having lived in France for fifteen years, where the people are not afraid of contestation, I know the power that we yield, still.

There are many facets to Peace.

We can resist, we can write our future in action and response. To find and be found, again and again; awake, as a sea of possibility. With a societal shift that I am quite certain reaches beyond politics, this is our tide now.

I don’t feel at all qualified to be writing this post; I feel awkward and am not sure of what I am doing. The “Who do you think you are?”‘s are rolling through my throat, wishing to stifle thoughts, even half-formed but well-intentioned, into silence…but of course not. We are all qualified just by the nature of our being human and our innate connection with each other…so let’s wade into the waters, even if we are just learning to swim.

Are any of you joining the Women’s March? If you are curious about taking part in this international movement, you can find more information about it here and a listing of locations in the United States and around the globe, here.

So far, it is estimated that there are over two million marches that will occur, including one that is happening in the Vieux Port of Marseille as I type.

This has always been a very respectful community and I don’t wish to make anyone ill at ease but I would love to hear how you are feeling in response to yesterday’s inauguration in the comments below, no matter where you are reading from on our beautiful planet. This concerns us all, as you are already well aware.