After No Kings I made my way over to Monster Vegan (place is incredible, you should stop there sometime if you’re in Philly). On my route I saw a lady calmly striding across the sidewalk, she maintained a zen-like grace which the rest of us lacked. She stopped in front of me as I quickly closed the distance from behind just to thank a construction crew working on a traffic signal. Everyone was rushing around her, around the workers, around each other; we were in our own worlds. She wasn’t though, she was in our world, our reality, understanding our place in society and genuinely appreciating us. As we began to move I walked behind her, gleaming at the back of her head as the side walk was too narrow at that section to pass. After what felt like an eternity—a positive eternity, as the world had slowed to a comprehension for just a spare moment; the sidewalk finally opened and I began to politely pass her. She noticed me and declared something along the lines of, “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you behind me.” I smiled at her and said, “No problem, I’m in no rush.” We began to have a conversation, more of an understanding—a connection. To pause, to be open, to actually care about a stranger. This is what is necessary.
This interaction was more powerful to me than the protest.
I honestly left the protest a bit discouraged. Don’t get me wrong there were incredible highlights, the passion from the friends I went with and a joining with people I might disagree with fundamentally about major issues to protest a greater evil did bring hope. Protesting is a positive force, but it very rarely translates directly to large scale change on its own. It is rather a catalyst for the beginning of action because it allows for connection. If society is ever to achieve more and move beyond the need for an oppressive state; there must be a cultural shift and action from the bottom upwards driven by genuine connection with people. One takeaway for me from No Kings is that this generation will never see this greater world, it can only see the steps towards it. There lies the source of my discouragement, as it was clear as day there are still so many on the left that fail to understand the change we need, the shift in worldview required to achieve a better planet for all life (to be fair I don’t think I’m close to understanding it yet). Localized change which manifests outwards is slow, requires emotional investment in people, and necessitates that we actually give a shit.
But I have hope –
Through the people I meet who care.
Faith finds itself again in an understanding.
An understanding only comes about with a connection.
Empathy.
The Lambent 