Here we are in November. It has been a crazy month already. Many of us are feeling stressed and holiday prep has barely begun. But November is also a time for self reflection, gratitude, service, community and family as we celebrate Veterans Day (11/11), World Kindness Day (11/13), National Gratitude Month and Thanksgiving (11/28).
All of that makes this the perfect moment for me to have picked up the book “What’s Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service” by Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack. I know that seems like so much of the past, but I still love the show for so many reasons: the fast pace, the inside look at a place I’ll likely never be, and, of course, the incredible characters. (And yes, we do have all seven seasons on DVD.) I also love the idealism expressed in the show and the emphasis on service. Don’t get me wrong — it’s fun reading about the show’s inception, casting process and little tidbits behind the scenes — it is really the service that’s the inspiring legacy of the show. Every cast member had a cause including animal rescue, breast cancer, and prison reform, and they all supported each other in their causes — and still do.
There’s another book coming that I’m anxious to read: “The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World” by Robin Wall Kimmerer that releases on November 19. Kimmerer is the author of the book “Braiding Sweetgrass” which struck me on such a deep level. In Serviceberry, Kimmerer examines how we can foster sharing, generosity, and abundance in human communities much like the serviceberry tree does in the natural world. Unlike the market economy, the gift economy relies on trust and mutual care because life isn’t all transactional.
“The prosperity of the community grows from the flow of relationships, not the accumulation of goods.” -Robin Wall Kimmerer, “The Serviceberry”
Another great book for this moment is “Inciting Joy” by Ross Gay who has made a practice of sitting and reflecting on a singular joy every day and journaling about it. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and miss those small joys. But it’s also ok (and healthy) to feel all the feels.
“[W]hat happens if joy is not separate from pain? What if joy and pain are fundamentally tangled up with one another? Or even more to the point, what if joy is not only entangled with pain, or suffering, or sorrow, but is also what emerges from how we care for each other through those things? What if joy, instead of refuge or relief from heartbreak, is what effloresces from us as we help each other carry our heartbreaks?” -Ross Gay, “Inciting Joy”
This November especially, no matter the outcome of the election, our neighbors are still our neighbors and we can make a choice to greet them with an open heart. But it’s also important to ground ourselves in our own values. We don’t have to tolerate intolerance and we shouldn’t anticipate bad things ahead of time.
It’s ok to sit with our feelings for a bit and the moment might require some radical self care. I recommend music, art, nature, food, hobbies, family and friends. Don’t anticipate bad things. Change is inevitable but we can continue to advocate for the world in which we want to live. I’m a proud American who believes in democracy, community, family, and service. I hope you will join me.
Image credit: Maple Grove, LadyDragoflyCC via Flickr (license)
