This felt like a prayer wrapped in a night shift survival story. I’ve carried propane tanks at dawn too—met the cold, the chaos, the “oops” on the floor—and somehow, still found my center again. You name vulnerability without flinching. Not to dramatize, but to ground. That alone is a gift.
I love how you wove the 3:30 a.m. heater fail into a reflection on democracy, fragility, and daily courage. It’s what Adrienne Rich called “the dream of a common language”—except yours is whispered across star-strewn skies, paper towels in hand, with puppy kisses as punctuation.
Great post.! I can relate to so much. The weather in LV, NM from when I lived in Nambe. The puppy adoption at an inconvenient time (no regrets, best decision ever!) and the realizations and observations. I don't know much about your situation, but I have a friend who leaves not far from LV, near the Pecos south of the interstate, and have heard quite a bit about the local farms impacted by the fire and their hopes for FEMA still not being fullfilled and now I fear the worst for them with the heist of the gov't going on in D.C. So many have had to move to ABQ and CO, leaving land that has been in their family for generations in some cases and losing generations' worth of farm equipment, fence, etc. Other like the owners of New Moon Boutique in LV, one of my fav places to shop, lost everything they had built on their ecofarm they had worked on since the early 90s.
I would add that the U.S. was also built by harnessing the resources and power of women, in literally every crucial area. So much has come out about the impact of the discoveries of women in the sciences in the 19th century and various technologies since. Going farther back, look up the letter from Abigail Adams to her husband John when he was in D.C. at the first congress helping to craft the founding documents. She pleads in a very cogent argument for him to include women in the definition of "citizens" so they would have rights. Just like in Ancient Greece, which we hold in such high regard as a pinnacle of western culture, they were not.
I was dismayed when I learned that when Wilson signed the 19th Amendment it was only because he wanted the vote on the prohibition of liquor to be passed. Those who were fighting to criminalize alcohol realized that if women could not vote, it would not ever happen so they reluctantly allowed it and even now, some states have not passed it.
Nevertheless, we are still here and Elon Musk and the tech broligarchy have not figured out how to replace us with Stepford Wives yet. Hmmm. . .I may have to watch that one this weekend!
Best to you, Heather, I am sending you positive full moon vibes. Wish I was there to see it rising over the Pecos!
p.s. I firmly believe the animals keep our hearts functioning in the love coherence zone during dark times. :)
This is a beautiful and important post talking about self care and being a force of change. I hope you stay safe during this time.
HeatherAsh,
This felt like a prayer wrapped in a night shift survival story. I’ve carried propane tanks at dawn too—met the cold, the chaos, the “oops” on the floor—and somehow, still found my center again. You name vulnerability without flinching. Not to dramatize, but to ground. That alone is a gift.
I love how you wove the 3:30 a.m. heater fail into a reflection on democracy, fragility, and daily courage. It’s what Adrienne Rich called “the dream of a common language”—except yours is whispered across star-strewn skies, paper towels in hand, with puppy kisses as punctuation.
Grateful for your reminders:
—Honor the soft animal of your being.
—Name what you love.
—Stand up for it in small, earthy ways.
From one flame-tender to another,
Anton
Great post.! I can relate to so much. The weather in LV, NM from when I lived in Nambe. The puppy adoption at an inconvenient time (no regrets, best decision ever!) and the realizations and observations. I don't know much about your situation, but I have a friend who leaves not far from LV, near the Pecos south of the interstate, and have heard quite a bit about the local farms impacted by the fire and their hopes for FEMA still not being fullfilled and now I fear the worst for them with the heist of the gov't going on in D.C. So many have had to move to ABQ and CO, leaving land that has been in their family for generations in some cases and losing generations' worth of farm equipment, fence, etc. Other like the owners of New Moon Boutique in LV, one of my fav places to shop, lost everything they had built on their ecofarm they had worked on since the early 90s.
I would add that the U.S. was also built by harnessing the resources and power of women, in literally every crucial area. So much has come out about the impact of the discoveries of women in the sciences in the 19th century and various technologies since. Going farther back, look up the letter from Abigail Adams to her husband John when he was in D.C. at the first congress helping to craft the founding documents. She pleads in a very cogent argument for him to include women in the definition of "citizens" so they would have rights. Just like in Ancient Greece, which we hold in such high regard as a pinnacle of western culture, they were not.
I was dismayed when I learned that when Wilson signed the 19th Amendment it was only because he wanted the vote on the prohibition of liquor to be passed. Those who were fighting to criminalize alcohol realized that if women could not vote, it would not ever happen so they reluctantly allowed it and even now, some states have not passed it.
Nevertheless, we are still here and Elon Musk and the tech broligarchy have not figured out how to replace us with Stepford Wives yet. Hmmm. . .I may have to watch that one this weekend!
Best to you, Heather, I am sending you positive full moon vibes. Wish I was there to see it rising over the Pecos!
p.s. I firmly believe the animals keep our hearts functioning in the love coherence zone during dark times. :)