Small Acts of Resistance

I am a rebel at heart. A hippie child of the sixties and seventies, I have been quietly pushing at the edges of patriarchal and societal boundaries for most of my life. I harbored this illusion that when I was an old woman the battles would be won, that I could relax in the knowledge that the world was a better place for my children and grandchildren because of my activism. I never dreamed that I would find myself fighting the rise of a fascist oligarchy in my own country. I believed that the USA was immune to such tyranny. We have always been on the side of freedom and justice. I failed to recognize that these struggles have been with us for all of history and that they will continue as long as humans exist.

At seventy years old I now spend my days making signs and attending protests, writing and calling my representatives, reading everything I can get my hands on that will help me resist the tsunami of bullshit coming at us. I heard some good advice a few months ago, when the relentless stream of egregious actions by this administration was threatening to overwhelm me ­— pick three things that are the most important to you and focus on them. All well and good, but nearly impossible when the issues change on a daily basis and the stakes grow higher by the minute.

I have developed a routine that has helped me to feel that I am doing my part without becoming overwhelmed, depressed and anxious. Every morning, I read a few things written by journalists that I trust. On Monday mornings I send letters and emails to my representatives in the House and Senate. I make at least three phone calls to them as well, voicing my concerns about the issues that are most pressing. Then I go about my day, caring for myself, my family and my community.

I have come to realize that the small things that I do are just as important, if not more important, than the grandiose actions. Picking up litter as I walk around my neighborhood. Cooking organic, locally grown food for my family. Helping my grandchildren learn to express themselves in healthy ways. These small acts are the foundation for a sustainable future. I have compiled a list of small acts of rebellion that I can take, even as I continue to holler loud and clear against the injustices I witness.

·        Recycle. I am a Rabid Recycler

·        Buy secondhand whenever I can

·        Donate $$ to NPR

·        Support independent journalism

·        Grow some of my own food

·        Buy from local farmers

·        Donate to the local food bank

·        Help my neighbors

·        Read

·        Write

·        Create

·        Listen to my children and grandchildren

·        Compost

·        Practice compassion

As I become increasingly aware of the fact that my time to make an impact is running out, I am determined to spend my days in sustained, radical resistance. As Mahatma Gandhi famously said: "Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”