I woke up an hour early on Wednesday morning, checked the news on my phone, and got punched in the face.
Then I put the teakettle on, walked the dogs in the fog, came home to a brilliant sunrise, and got to work.
By the time you read this an endless stream of pundits, journalists, and other experts will have analyzed the 2024 election and Trump’s pending return to power. I’ve already read and watched more than my share of them. Dark days are coming; that much is all but certain.
But those days aren’t here yet. The things we fear are months in the future — if many of them happen at all. Because the people who will resist Trump 2.0 are already planning, (re)building, and getting ready to do what they need to do.
Of course, that’s also in the future. That’s not today.
Today is all we have for certain on this planet. Today is about living, enjoying that sunrise, getting in touch with your community and coalitions, and reminding yourself of what gets you out of bed in the morning. It’s about the species you love, the wild spaces you treasure, the causes you advocate for, and for the cultures that give us strength.
I know we all have worries about what happens after Jan. 20, 2025. But we can’t let those worries and fears consume us now. The late Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh said it well: “The past is gone, the future is not yet here, and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life.”
Today reminds you what’s worth saving and gives us the strength for tomorrow.
So let’s talk about today. What are you doing to build your strength and resilience? Send your thoughts; we’ll compile and share some of your answers with Revelator readers. (Me, I’m taking walks, talking with friends, watching nearby wildlife, reading, and filling my sketchbook.)
But let’s also talk about the past. Trump 1.0 and other right-wing governments (local or national) caused a lot of environmental damage. How did you, your organizations and coalitions, or your community resist — or recover? Let us know briefly or write a more in-depth op-ed or essay to help others in the fights to come.
And yes, let’s talk about the future. What environmental threats (federal or local) do you worry about, or what are you doing now to prepare for potential upcoming developments? Share your plans to help others with the same or similar fears or goals.
Past, present, or future: We want to hear from you.
And you can write to us today or in a few weeks; we’re not going anywhere.
Speaking of which, we have a half-dozen great articles and commentaries ready to publish and dozens more coming down the pike. We’ll start publishing those in the days ahead. Because Trump 2.0 is just the latest threat — there are lots of other ongoing problems (and solutions) for us all to understand and act upon. Today and every day.
Here are a few other worthwhile pick-me-ups:
“The Resistance Starts Now” — Robert Reich
“Jon Stewart’s Election Night Takeaway” — The Daily Show
“Trump Presidency Will Face Unprecedented Resistance” — Center for Biological Diversity (our publisher)
“The Morning After” — Legal Planet
“They want you to feel powerless and surrender…” — thread by Rebecca Solnit
“Now What?” — Dan Rather
“Small, Medium, and Large Things to Do Today” — Legal Planet
