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| I'm addicted to screens London, ON November 2016 |
Like we did during the debates, election night here in Levyland was a family affair. The kids watched the coverage on the big TV, and of course were glued to their smartphones as they live-Snapchatted, Instagrammed and WhatsApped the proceedings with each other and their friends. This is what engagement looks like in 2016, and it was a joy to watch.
The dog figured prominently, as he always does, with the kids routinely stopping what they were doing to pick him up, cuddle him, speak to him, and otherwise breathe in his dogness. At one point, I tweeted a moment that he triggered by simply walking over to me.Eventually, my wife and kids headed up to bed, while the dog curled himself into a ball on the couch, where he remains. Every once in a while, I find myself staring over at him as he not-so-quietly snores through another dog-dream.
As jarring as tonight's results have been to so many people on so many levels - and let's be clear, the world just became a less predictable, more frightening place - I keep looking over to him.I'm not entirely sure why, but it brings me comfort. Because, just as I noted earlier this evening, he has no idea what's going on in the big bad world.
When I walked him through the wet, leafy neighbourhood earlier this eve, I could almost feel the electricity in the air. History-making days have a tendency to do that: Things slow down, feel quieter, more resonant. Small details present themselves, almost asking to be mentally recorded in psychological high-def.
Yet to the happy schnauzer bouncing himself through the piles of wet leaves, none of that mattered. As he followed his nose from one tree trunk to another, it must have seemed like any other night. He was simply happy to be outside, happy to be exploring his neighbourhood, happy to simply be.
Tomorrow morning, some people will wake up feeling it's the dawn of a new political era, while others will feel it's the dawn of a new dark age. Frasier will wake up and as he always does after he shakes off the cobwebs of another good night's sleep, look for his humans and squish himself into wherever we happen to be. He'll bark beside the pantry door until we feed him, then paw the patio door until we let him out to explore the yard. In short, just another day for him.
Maybe I should look through the world through his eyes. Maybe it's overly simplistic of me to even think along these lines. But when the world zigs instead of zags, I can't imagine navigating whatever comes next without this little guy firmly ensconced in the very centre of our family.
Your turn: Where do you seek comfort?
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* Here's where to find the social media accounts where all this ended up:
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5 comments:
Having seen the results on the TV, and also spent a long time at our local hospital sorting out various health problems, I could do with a dog to cuddle! I do miss our dogs so badly sometimes.
Carmi I'm a German immigrant, the history of my birth country sits in my bones.Watching Trump always left me with this knot in my gut, I'm scared but at the same time I will have to let it go and hope for the best. I will go Hiking , keep up my Photography, revel in our beautiful Country and lose myself in Nature.My immediate Family in German is horrified BTW,they are dealing with the rise of the AfD ,wich managed to get representation in 10 of the 16 German State Parliaments. I guess all we can do is stay vigilant and speak up when we see rights being trampled on .
I am one of those who feel we are doomed... A commentator on ABC said ' the people wanted a flawed outsider vs a flawed insider'... I have fear for the Hispanics, Muslims... One commentator said they will be looking over their shoulder.... Will he go through with that wall??? Will he ruin the United States internationally? What about the war?? He has no experience at all.. They said he was voted in by 'uneducated white blue collar workers who believe he can bring jobs back'... That is fine, but do these people know he has not a clue as far as how to handle international affairs?? He's already gotten congrats from Putin... How scary is that? The world must be laughing at us.. The other leaders in the world might be rethinking the relations the U.S. has w/them.. Its scary and I worry about all of us.. The damage that will be caused due to ignorance and his getting the wrong info. from those who may be looking out for their own gain. I have a feeling he will treat this like a business.. He will be ruthless in whatever he does and touches.,..
Carmi, perhaps Sting said it best - We're starting up a brand new day.
I am despondent. I've been crying all day. In the presidential election, many voters, including those in my own state, were mostly voting against Clinton. They have come to believe the #&$#* said about her on right-wing news programs. The voters wanted someone from outside "the establishment." My only hope is that his supporters will be disappointed in him when they see that he is powerless to "bring back jobs". But I fear that with Republicans in charge of the legislature, hard-won civil rights will disappear. And it is now okay to harass and intimidate people of color, people of a different religion, women. It is a dark, dark day for my country.
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