Vent Sesh: The World in this Moment

I must confess that I don’t keep up with news like I should. The reality of the world in the U.S. and around the world can be so sad and disheartening that I volunteer, spend time with my family and do what I can… but if you quizzed me on current politics, I’d be screwed.

That said, the world in this moment feels like such a dichotomy. And, I’m struggling with it.

Our country is at war with itself. People are killing innocent people. People are killing those who have dedicated their lives to protecting us. That doesn’t make sense and we can’t survive like this.

I fully believe in a “united front,” whether that’s in my office, with a nonprofit Board I sit on, and with our country as we present ourself to the world. If we look beaten and shattered with internal strife, we look weak. That’s disastrous.

It hurts my heart that my children — who are currently oblivious to this — are growing up in a world where we can’t tolerate people different than us. Maybe some of you feel differently than me but I want to live in a tolerant world where skin color is irrelevant, where love is love, and where we can create lives for ourselves that are filled with joy and kindness.

I’ve learned over the years, primarily with now stupid, petty arguments and nonsense, that anger and hate take up too much space in my heart, in my brain and in my body. I can’t imagine and wouldn’t want to live a life where that was my daily outlook.

At the same time that it feels like we’re falling apart, I struggle with content on this blog, and with a number of “style” bloggers I follow. Yes, we all still want to present ourselves nicely but what the hell does the #nsale, some girl’s endless supply of designer, and everything matter when this is happening around us? I love sharing a deal, I love connecting with women, and yes, bloggers are business people who receive a small commission when you make a purchase, but it feels so superficial and inappropriate.

Part of me feels disgusted as myself for showcasing cute booties when people in our society are killing police officers, when people see hatred and act on it simply because someone looks different than us. We all must continue with our daily lives but we also need to stop to soak in the magnitude of what’s happening around us.

It breaks my heart and I struggle with what to do. On a micro level, I continue to demonstrate kindness, an open heart and compassion to my children. Candidly, it’s not always easy when you don’t live in a super diverse community. You can talk, but it’s all about action. People around us in our community largely look like us and have similar beliefs.

I’m a minority (beyond that I’m a red headed, left handed, female… as if that wasn’t enough!)…. I don’t get how people hate me without knowing me simply because I’m Jewish. They don’t know me, but they hate me and have persecuted my people for lifetimes. They hate my family and many of my closest friends, and they’re willing to risk their own life to destroy mine. I don’t understand how there are people out there filled with hatred so big that they act in such horrific ways.

Changing behaviors and thoughts starts in the home so I’ll continue to do what I’m doing.

It’s a start. And, even if I go back to sharing an outfit of me tomorrow, we have to stop sometimes. Toady, I’m stopping. I hope you will, too.

I apologize that this post is a bit of a consciousness of thought however I feel compelled to do more than I’ve done, and to start a dialogue. There’s this platform here and I know it’s usually light and easy and filled with ways to improve our lives in smaller ways, however these days I’m ready to think bigger.

Let’s all think a little bigger, a little brighter and imagine the world where there’s no room for hate.