Whataboutisms Will Kill Us All

A poem

Photo by Elaine Casap on Unsplash

but going outside to stand in the sun will save us. And so 
will planting a flower garden so the bees have a home.
And a tomato plant because you know your spouse loves
Caprese in the summertime. The music that fills your home
on an ordinary Monday will make your heart happy,
as will inviting the new folks on the block for dinner on Friday
night. And volunteering at the neighborhood food pantry
over the weekend. And donating books to your local library.
And voting in your school board and town elections. 
It will take time to make dinner for your brother-in-law who 
just had surgery, but the delight on their face when you bring
a hot meal to their home will be worth every minute. So will
the time you spent reading to your kids before bedtime.
It might feel good to scream into the void of the internet,
but taking time to read will satiate you longer. So will having
a conversation with a human. And learning how to
channel your rage into something productive. Because
you can still make this place beautiful. Because you have it
in you to save what's worth fighting for.

---