The Fears of an Optimist

 

There are only a couple of weeks from now to election day. WHAT? have you noticed that we have been in election mode for a good 2 years? I am exhausted! A couple of days ago I heard, really heard for the first time. that this is going to end in 2 weeks. I have tuned all things political out that much. I was surprised that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, to tell you the truth. 

By now, I can’t stand to watch the news, or to hear Trump's lies, and some of the repetitive comebacks from Democrats. I'm tired of the Republican party having no backbone. no decency, no values. I'm talking about the Republican party as a whole. There are some exceptional Republicans, some of which I'm proud to call friends, who see the present reality of their party with pain and with shame. I'm tired of the pundits, and of people who keep repeating what they are fed by Trump and his entourage. People can support whoever they want, but then the question is, can they not analyze and observe for themselves, instead of just repeat what Trump says in his rallies?

Covid made things worse. Not just because all the people who have died, but also because it has killed me and many others with boredom, inactivity or lack of social diversion. We had to sit in front of a screen and become victims of all that they wanted us to hear, throughout the best part of 2020. I just want this to end. But, being an optimist, I want this to end like in a storybook. ...And they live happily ever after. However, I well know that this is not going to be possible. I hope for the best but fear the worse.

I fear that if Trump wins, things are going to get really bad, really quickly. He will be more embolden than ever, and since there's no one branch of government that would call him on his BS, he will really become something no one wants to see. I also fear that if he losses, those who support him, and who believe everything he says, will be brain-washed to do who knows what, in their own detriment, and everyone else's.

I wonder how the US is going to look like after this election. In the past, I never had those fears, and I never, ever, wondered about what would happen to us, the citizens, those of us who do not know who's allowing all of this to happen, or maybe even promoting it. Who are those really in charge behind the scenes? Who is dictating the marching orders? And, what's the purpose? Why those in power want to desensitize us?  Where do they want to take us? Experts are talking about a huge recession coming soon. Well, we don't have to be an expert to see it coming, right?  I'm afraid of it too. How will we look as a country after such immense recession? America is not used to the notion of extreme poverty.

Just look around. Talk to people on the street. If you have not heard how much people are suffering already, try and get out of your comfort zone and talk to those who perform the service jobs around us. They are behind in their rent and a blink away from homelessness, they are indebting themselves into a dark hole, and they don't know when or if they'll be able to overcome their situation. My heart brakes every time I hear one of those stories.

I hope, that for the sake of Americans of all colors, religions, sexual orientations, ages, origins, races and what not, and of those who are not Americans yet, who live here, and love our country, things won't get as bad as I fear they can become. I hope that at some point, we will again be the country that I got to love so deeply, for everything it has given me, but mainly for its people, who I know to be different enough to have their own opinions, but united enough to pull together for the cause of the strong, reliable country that we feel proud of. 

Yes, I am an incorrigible optimist. That's why I voted already. That's why I have been working to encourage people to vote. And, that's why I invite you to vote. Exert your voting power, so our country can see a less dark and a more hopeful time. This is not the time to be complacent and watch from the bleachers. It is not, either, a time to take is as a joke and write-in any name. Take it seriously! Do whatever is in your power, your country is at stake.

Please... VOTE!

A QUARANTINE PERSONAL EVALUATION…

By Silvia Uribe

I’m sorry to say this and go against the current, but I am quite content being quarantined. I’m healthy, don’t get me wrong, and I’m not dying of fear of becoming infected either, but I’d like to remain healthy. I do get around, every now and again. I like seeing what’s going on “out there.” I like talking with family and friends over the phone, on FaceTime, and seeing some of them, very few, in person. I work from home most of the time, but if I leave my fortress’ safety, to exercise or run to the store I cover my face and wear gloves, as the scientists advise. So, if I have to evaluate my social distancing is at an 85%, and I’m content with that.

I must say that the “out there” that I mentioned, seems a bit outlandish. The empty streets with mostly empty commercial spaces give an eerie feeling. However, every tone of green of the trees is greener, the sky appears brighter (either because I have less chance to look at it, or because there is less pollution, or both) and these things give me joy. The view of the ocean is completely unobstructed and the sense of calm, due to the abundance of birds singing, and the lack of car noises, is like a river of peace. 

However, there is one thing that disturbs me more and more, as the days go by. Face masks. As necessary as they are, they make me sad. Why? It is simple. I miss your face! I may or may not know you, but I miss your face. With the masks we are faceless beings, moving from place to place, with no expression; making lines at stores with no identity that we can account for. We look cold and... generic. If, on top of wearing masks, we wear shades, it is even worse. I cannot see the expressions that your eyes convey. I cannot see the human being inside you at all.

I miss seeing my fellow humans, and I’ll be fully content when, after the quarantine, I can see your face again, with the peace of mind of knowing that both of us will be ok.

Teleworking, is another thing I love. I must admit that working from home is quite different and has its challenges. But c'mon! isn't it great to not be rushed in the mornings? I have been a proponent of this for years, and for years I encountered a myriad of nay-sayers. Today, the world is finally understanding that most of the things we do in the office can be done from afar, and in much less time. I feel validated. 

And finally come the concerns that I have: Other than those who contract the virus, of course, are the small business owners. Those who have put all their money and dreams in their venture, and they might lose everything. And their workers that relied in their now nonexistent jobs; their families, that not being able to have a steady income can’t pay their rent, or buy food, or clothing… I have the tendency of getting very anxious about things like these, things that I cannot change; because they are way over my scope of influence. So, I immerse myself in whatever I can do, like cleaning my closets of unused items and donating them to those who I know need them. And, volunteering for an organization that offers financial resources to those who can’t get any financial relieve from anywhere else. This makes me feel that I’m doing something to contribute. We all can do something. If you have a sense of impotency, I invite you to help someone you know, in any way you can. We all know people in need. We know who they are. Reach out. Don’t wait until they come asking for help. Helping others is the only recipe I know to finding satisfaction, and contentment during uncertain times. 

As for the things I cannot solve, I do my best to pray that the situation won’t get as bad as I fear, and then I put my head in the ground, as a self-preservation method.

Please, stay safe.

ARE YOU A FEMINIST?

By Silvia Uribe

Recently, a friend of mine asked if I consider myself a feminist, and whether feminism spoke to me as a woman today.

Here is my response:

I am a woman, who raised women, and support women. I try not to judge other women. I try to be an ally to all women. I respect women and their right to choose the way they want to live their live. I value my freedom and all women's freedom more than anything. 

I like, love, and admire, men who do the same. Men that are free and confident, who support women, and our right to be free and confident.

I want to see more women read more, and be more prepared to be more independent. Independence goes far beyond making money. Being independent is a way of conducting one self in all circumstances, and in front of anyone. I believe that independence of our minds is the most important, so we don't let anyone dictate how we feel, or how we think, or act. We are as capable, and as strong as anyone else. There is historical proof that women have always found our own way.

I frequently remind women about the unavoidable personal responsibility that comes with freedom: Making sure that we use that freedom in a way that will elevate us, personally, and as a group, a little bit more every day.  Of course, we will make mistakes, but as soon as we realize that we've made one, we need to show our strength by correcting the path immediately.

Finally, I always warn women about something that can even be a life preserving point - It is true that we, women, can do anyting we want. No doubt about it. Any-thing! Just never lose sight of the fact that everything comes at a price. So when we set a goal for ourselves, we should honestly evaluate, in advance, if what we desire is worth the price.

Yes. I am a feminist!

THE PLEASURES OF TRAVELING

By Silvia Uribe

Traveling, no doubt, is one of the greatest pleasures for those of us who like adventure, people, new experiences, and surprises. Also, as Gustave Flaubert said "Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world." I totally agree.

The first step when traveling, is to think about where to go, and draw a mental map of what I want to see there. I like suggesting a place, and waiting for the counter-proposals that I may get from my travel partner. The decision is always based on the place that offers the most, at the best price. Then looking for comfortable accommodations, also at a fair price, may take some time, but this proves to be a good investment.

I enjoy the investigation part – an elementary step, my dear reader. What is there to discover? The great internet window reveals the answer to me in my own living room, while I sip a delicious coffee. I take mental and written notes of what will later become a reality. With each day, the excitement grows and the wait decreases. The anxiety is unavoidable, mainly, because we leave our obligations behind. We feel we are indispensable.

Finally, the day is here. Maybe we will travel a few hours or many more. If we travel by plane, we accept the idea of a stressful trip, due to the time wasted at airports, cancelled flights or marathons through those long hallways with electric bands that go so slow that using them may mean losing our connection flight. We run next to them instead.

Sooner or later we get to our destiny. Big sigh of relief.

After I get to a new place, I like to go out for a walk on the nearby streets, to know what’s around: the names of the streets, convenience and other stores, transportation, and what have you. Maybe, I want to know this to feel, from the get go, that I’m not lost, and so that things can slowly become familiar to me.

Once I get to the place I will call home for a pre-determined amount of days, I love looking out the window, and filling my eyes with whatever I can see, what’s different, what I never saw before and, maybe, to point at places that look interesting. I enjoy setting the goal to get to those places, even if I don’t know how to get there. This experience, of figuring things out is exciting to me. Maybe little children don’t feel as excited, because that’s their life. They discover new things every day. For us, adults, is not like that. We know and have experienced most things, or so we think. But, when we encounter something new, our sensation progresses from insecurity, to excitement, and once we figure it out, to satisfaction.

Taking a trip and not walking a lot, is not really traveling. During my travel adventures, I walk 6-8 hours a day. I walk, and I also take all kinds of transportation. Because of this, I have traveled by horse, mule, car, bus, motorcycle, bicycle, pedi-cab, tram, metro, train, bullet train, rickshaw, “trajinera”, “gondola” aqua-bus, “aliscafo”, jetski, boat, motor boat, ship, aircraft carrier, small planes, commercial planes, and war planes, funicular and helicopter. Never in a submarine, because I’m claustrophobic, or in a balloon because it scares me to death. My transportation dream? A flying car, like the Jetsons’, but I must wait a few years for that one.

However, what I like the most about traveling is the people I meet. I like knowing, and so I ask them, how they live, what they like, if they are satisfied with their life. I ask them who they consider important life, what they their government gives them, and what it takes from them; what they can and cannot do in terms of social freedom, and what are their ambitions. I also enjoy sharing what they want to know, of course. These interactions are usually a humbling experience, and gives the other person, and me, an intellectual intimacy and understanding that goes way beyond words.

Talking about words, languages come easily for me. But, when I do not speak the language, I truly enjoy the goodwill of people to understand what I say, and  their willingness to make themselves understood. It is like playing “charades”. We use our bodies, our minds, and we get frustrated, and then we laugh, and start all over again, until communication is achieved. Traveling without communicating with natives is not a complete experience to me; I may know the place we visit, but I don’t get to know the culture’s soul.

So, I like those traveling days with no obligations or concerns other than looking for experiences or objects that will remain in my mind and possession, and that I will be able to share with those interested. Today, one can make a book of each trip. Mine have pictures and brief comments. I like this online technology option because that way I  can capture the images and sensations of the moment without eventually forgetting about them or losing the pictures who knows where.

After each trip, my friends ask me if I would go back to the same place. My standard answer is no. It is not interesting to me to see what I have already seen, when there is so much to discover out there. The world is vast, my friend, and it always has something new and intriguing to offer.