THIS TOO SHALL PASS

I’m tired. The world seems to be upside down, like we’ve slipped in to Alice’s rabbit hole and fallen in to some subterranean surrealist landscape peopled with mad hatters and crazy queens who want to lop off your head if you don’t follow the current ‘rules’. And I have never followed anyone’s idea of a status quo without questioning everything. I’m an American. Last time I heard, we’re allowed to make our own way as long as we don’t steal from, injure or kill anyone. 

I have guaranteed Constitutional freedoms, by law, giving me the right to freedom of speech, freedom of religion, right to bear arms in defense of my home or country, and the right to make my own decisions about my health, my method for making a living (as long as no human or animal is abused, injured or killed). But now I am being told what to wear (masks), when I can go to church and how, if at all (I belong to no particular religion but I will always defend the right for anyone to believe what they will). Schools are closed and may not open this year. Businesses, small and large, are closing and declaring bankruptcy. Families are loosing their homes and apartments and non stop riots seem to be going on in certain cities because of a movement that has been co-opted by political factions and being used to affect an upcoming election. 

A couple of weeks ago I removed my presence from all social media platforms. Because I am an artist by trade, people expected me to be part of the ultra liberal groups. Again, I make my own choices politically as well as religiously and otherwise. I belong to no group except by my own choosing and will change my mind at any given time. Because I’ve been questioning what I read in the so called news ( most of which is lies and deeply edited to slant to the left ), refusing to wear a mask and simply going about my days in exactly the same way that I always have, I began to receive threats. 

For the most part they do not bare repeating here. But the threats were very specific and violent. When our mail box was bashed, something that happens ever so often when poorly raised and unsupervised kids take it in to their heads to play “mailbox baseball”, and then we were sent messages saying it would be worse than a bashed mailbox next time, I decided that social media was poison. It adds to the gossip mills and encourages vile behaviors. I felt like I was back in junior high with lunch table ‘rules’ and all of the childish name calling that happens when groups of befuddled hormone laden pre-teens are trying to establish social dominance. Continuing with participation in those venues was enabling the worst behaviors in people. 

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.” 
― Albert Einstein

Somewhere along the line people lost their way, became so full of fear and an inability to question what they see in the media, they began to revert to attack mode. The need to belong to the herd, to follow the crowd, overwhelmed their ability to reason or question . I became a, and I quote directly from one of the people who wrote to me, “ heretic “. How interesting. And I was told that I and my family and anyone I came in to contact with was going to die within three weeks. Of course that happened three months ago and I’m still here with no health issues. The little town I live in has no cases of COVID. The local farmers and ranchers continued to do their jobs of raising their crops and animals WITHOUT MASKS. And now rural communities are being threatened by ANTIFA as well as other factions because they are living their lives and doing their jobs of raising food to feed the world. Sounds like insanity to me. Without food and the people who grow it, the population starves. ( I was even told that the animals I care for were going to be infected and die because I will not spend my days wearing a mask. )

I refuse to spend my days down Alice’s Rabbit Hole having tea with a Mad Hatter. I am still exactly who I have always been, an independent adult who follows my inner voice. I support the Constitution, live by ideals that I’ve learned along the way.

The Girl Scout Law

I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, use resources wisely, make the world a better place.

The Four Agreements

Be impeccable with your word.

Don’t take anything personally. 

Don’t make assumptions. 

Always do your best.

• Honour thy father and thy mother.
• Thou shalt not kill.
• Thou shalt not commit adultery.
• Thou shalt not steal.

And above all I promise to be myself. I am not a clone or follower of the herd. I am an independent woman, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, artist , horse woman and small business owner. I will stand my ground and defend my right as well as my family’s right to be exactly who they are. I will love all of them as the people they are and will be. I am proud of their abilities to make their own choices and stand their ground balanced and calm, kind and willing. 

I am, ever yours and MINE, Nancy, smiling at the way things go. My Grandmother used to say, “ This too shall pass.” She was right. All of this will pass....