Searching for Meaning – Again

Practicing self-care in a country turned inside out

I grieved the day after the shit-show known as the U.S. presidential election. 

I’m no seer, but I knew Trump would win, given the hostile climate in this country that was unfortunately more powerful than the hope Kamala Harris infused into us. 

Analysts are scratching their heads, wondering why Trump won. Some critics are blaming Harris for running an ineffective campaign, as well as pointing their fingers at democrats for supposedly not having a clear message, and so on. 

But here’s the truth: many Americans would rather see a traitorous criminal become president than have a woman of color in office. Misogyny and racism are alive and well in the U.S.A. 

I grieved the day after the election. 

But yesterday morning, I was determined to begin healing. I started the day re-reading parts of Man’s Search for Meaning by the late Dr. Viktor Frankl. This masterpiece happens to be my favorite book ever. A Holocaust survivor and psychologist, Frankl emphasizes that when a person finds meaning and purpose in his or her suffering, then that person’s suffering is easier to endure. Frankl makes it clear that suffering is inevitable, and for such suffering, we need to find meaning and purpose during adversity to enhance our lives. 

Frankl says,  “It is this spiritual freedom – which cannot be taken away – that makes life meaningful and purposeful…man’s inner strength may raise him above his outward fate.” Check out my review of this book here.

I am aligned with Frankl’s point of view. And this is why I am recovering emotionally. Because while Trump will do outlandish things I can’t control, I can choose to live my best life by tapping into my inner spiritual strength. He can control and ruin a lot of things, and while these will be devastating to me, the country and the world, he won’t be able to control my spiritual strength and my mind.

For some ideas on how to practice self-care, see Nancy’s Stordahl’s excellent suggestions here. They were written before the election, but they are still exceedingly valid.

For me, self-care includes writing, reading, exercise, and spending time with friends and family. I am putting myself on a permanent news diet; this doesn’t mean I will be oblivious to what’s happening in the world, but like a food diet, I will be cautious about what news to ingest. And, for the next four years, I will be doing my best not to look at Trump’s face.

My big accomplishment yesterday was creating a new landscape painting. 

I was originally going to revise a painting draft, but thanks to encouragement from my friend Sharon, I started a brand new painting to reflect my new outlook. And I’m happy with the first draft thus far. 

The clouds need some more depth – I used a combination of Payne’s Gray, Titanium White, and Ultramarine Blue, as well as the latter for the mountains. I used Prussian Blue for the small hills in the middle of the canvas. I definitely want some detailed, colorful grasses in the foreground that will go over the Sap Green ground, a process I already started. Everything needs work. 

And I even experienced a happy accident: as one looks at the painting, the narrow brown path veers off a bit to the left, and I think it strengthens the artwork somewhat.

Overall, when I am painting, I am at a peace that cannot be duplicated by any of my other experiences. Frankl says, "When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." I have no control over certain situations, but I realize I can control how I react.