Minutes earlier, I’d received a voice memo from one of my friends who’s watching a forest fire rage from his living room window out west. Their whole town is holding its breath, waiting for evacuation orders.
It feels like everything is on fire right now.
Every time I open social media I’m bombarded with news about the impending apocalypse. Data centres seem to be multiplying exponentially, along with their deadly impact on the environment. Water is scarce and/or contaminated, power grids are threatened, hydro prices are about to soar, farm animals can’t reproduce, temperatures are rising. Daily, thousands of innocent people south of our border are being hunted, arrested, imprisoned and even killed by masked thugs hired by their own government. Meanwhile, oligarchs and tech bros are collaborating with unhinged religious zealots who are leading their followers into a holy war.
What’s next, another outbreak of explosive diarrhea?
I’m kind of a wimp. I go out of my way to avoid horror, like 47’s voice, raisins lurking in baked goods, and bathroom scales. My life has been stressful enough, thank you very much.
If you are anything like me, you’re probably telling yourself to PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN several times a day. But even that doesn’t quite fix the problem. Much as it’s tempting, I don’t want to be an ostrich, happily oblivious to those suffering above the sand.
So how are we to cope with the hellscape that’s encroaching?
While I’m still figuring that out, I’ve decided to remind myself that at least I have the luxury of choice. I can choose where to direct my focus.
Since I’m actively researching for my next book, which I imagine will be a true Christian dystopia, I’m regularly diving into rabbit holes with unhinged Christian nationalists. You know, the ones who think America is a pagan nation possessed by evil spirits. This research is not fun. To be honest, it’s triggering AF. So, I am learning to limit my exposure.
I’m also remembering to savour life’s glimmers. Those little things that spark joy in the moment but are too easily forgotten.
So, to cheer us up, I’m going to share a few of my recent glimmers.
A few weeks ago, I dressed up as Mrs. Roper (who was new to me, since I was living in a cult during the Three’s Company heyday) and hit the town with a group of women from my book club. What was the occasion, you might wonder. Well, it turns out that people all over are participating in “Roper Romps” – just for the hell of it. Think of it as an apocalypse coping strategy. I highly recommend it! The costume could also work for thwarting ICE, come to think of it.
Yesterday I received a message from one of my fellow cult survivors who thanked me for my part in winning our lawsuit. With her portion of the settlement, she was able to afford a front tooth implant that she’s needed for years. I cried happy tears, looking at the pic of her new, beaming smile.
This week we’ve had several thunderstorms and we are among the lucky ones, who have avoided flooding. My routine is to sit on our front porch, cuddling Harry and Ron while we watch nature show off. Then I go inside and console Hermione who vibrates with fear for hours during (and after) these events. Much as she would not approve of storms on the list, I cherish her aggressive snuggling.
For now, at least, Haagen Dazs is relatively affordable. In fact, it’s almost always on sale somewhere nearby. If you know my story, you’ll be gratified to know that since I wrote my memoir, I have continued to heal from a life long eating disorder. Now, 3 years later, I am finally in a place where I can thoroughly enjoy treats without angst or bingeing. So Haagen Dazs is a regular glimmer in my life. My advice? Stock up while you still can.
I hope reading this helps a little. These days, I think we can all benefit from focusing on glimmers in our lives. It sure beats the all-you-can-eat buffet of existential dread.
