The official time of the solstice is 5:03 A.M. EST Monday, December 21, between Chanukkah and Christmas, normally joyous times that have been tamped down by the coronavirus and the government's reaction, or lack thereof. We had snow this week in Morgantown, then temperatures just barely above freezing. It was pretty for a few days, but now it's getting slushy. And there's hardly been any sun for days. It feels like twilight just about all day.
Lots of people I know are posting on Facebook about how depressed they are. In the US Senate, they have been arguing about sending people $600 in relief money (it just passed today, Sunday), while big corporations and rich people rake in billions. Our Governor here in West Virginia is sitting on CARES Act money while people are at risk of being evicted or having the lights shut off. Some money is going out to high school athletic teams and a possibly shady real estate deal here in Morgantown that the city is being asked to contribute to.
A few posts ago, I said I might not run for City Council again next month. I thought if I could find a good progressive person in this ward, I would support them. If not, I would run again. I'm past that now. A well-meaning activist of my acquaintance called me Tuesday and asked if I was running. He and others would support me, otherwise they needed to find someone at a "West Virginia Can't Wait" meeting that night. That group encourages people with no experience or connection to government to run; they often get slaughtered. I didn't know much before I ran for Council, but I at least got on the Library Commission and attended some Council meetings. I even spoke once or twice. It's harder to do that now, but people can come to meetings online and speak; they don't. I wish my friend had begged me to run again. I wish I still had a constituency that supported and encouraged me, but I don't. So no, I won't run again.
It's hard to give up a part of one's identity, but I've killed off part of myself and been reborn several times. I thought I might give up teaching at OLLI as well, but now I think only one change at a time.
So I guess I have my own issues. We have food and our health (so far). I stay away from anywhere where an armed militia might show up. I fear for my country in the next month. Our Congressperson didn't sign on to the Texas lawsuit to invalidate the election. The other two in West Virginia and our Governor, Secretary of State and Attorney General did. It's unbearable that these people run West Virginia. It's hard for me to even be here.
It will get colder here in West Virginia next month, but the light will come back, and hopefully, despite everything, there will be a vaccine, and a new and better administration for our country. I hope that I and so many of the people I know find a way out of depression. As they and I know, it's not pretty.
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