Positively November Redux

So I set out this month with the spontaneous Instagram project Positively November to try to see the happy side of this month that traditionally gets me down.



As it turned out, November royally sucked. Not because of the weather—which was unseasonably warm and sunny—or the short, dark days, which are the reasons I usually have for dreading this month. But because of the end of democracy as we know it. Or the end of our illusion of democracy. Whatever. It sucked. It's been hard, for me and for many, many people I know. Good, big-hearted people who all want a free, just, safe, and happy world for their children and everyone's children. We all feel like we just took an enormous step back from that goal.



But I persisted, looking for something each day to feel positive about. And I did it, even if it was something small—leaves on the water, tomatillos from the garden, boys playing. I even got a couple of people to play along with me now and then.



I only missed two days—one because we had house guests and I forgot (I just retroactively posted a picture from that day), and another, this past Monday, whose first glimpse of sun and blue sky in days gave plenty to be positive about, but I just didn't happen to have my phone with me when I went outside.



I think it's going to be more important than ever to find these little moments of beauty in our days going forward, if nothing else to hold despair at bay and remind ourselves of all we have to be thankful for—and all we have to fight for. And it doesn't hurt to spread a little positivity into other people's lives, either.

I plan on playing along with Susannah Conway's December Reflections Instagram prompts next month, if anyone's looking for photo ideas.