Dear friends:
The end of 2019—and of this mystifying decade—finds us all at the beginning of a new chapter. In my evolving memoir, Caroline from South Carolina: No, I was Not Named for My State, I’m calling this chapter “Making the most of an upside down world in which our political and environmental paradigms are shifting...and I am still single.” I know, you’re already riveted!
It is true, few things have worked out in the last four years the way I expected them to. But thanks to a fair amount of spiritual study, I am learning that: 1) most expectations are self-inflicted suffering in disguise; and 2) there is fulfillment in accepting and making the most of what we’ve got—personally and collectively.
It is also true that while this moment is extraordinarily painful, it also presents opportunity for engagement, learning and, hopefully someday, healing.
So this past October, I packed my bags and headed for New York City (where I said I would never live) to see about building some bridges between the progressive and conservative communities I've come to know. Splitting my time between Charleston and NYC now, I am more convinced of the need for this connection—and more committed to the work of advancing justice and equity in places where they are least accessible.
No doubt 2020 will hold many more painful moments, but for this moment I am grateful to all of you who are doubling down on protecting the most vulnerable, the earth, and the goodness of humanity, even when it’s not immediately apparent. Here’s to staying in the fight together in the year and decade ahead.
Much love,
Caroline
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Here are a few of the things that got me through 2019 and will continue to inspire me in the decade ahead:
Our climate is changing, and we are already feeling the effects of rising waters and severe storms. The Nature Conservancy of South Carolina and The Coastal Conservation League are protecting South Carolina's natural resources and planning for an uncertain future in which we must learn to live in harmony with Mother Nature. In case you need some more motivation to work on the environment, spend a couple of minutes with the new, interactive climate model from MIT's Sustainability Institute.
We know that a legal right does not guarantee access to that right. The Brigid Alliance is providing travel funding and support for women and families who must travel in order to access abortion care. In just over a year of operations, they have already helped over 600 people—making choice possible even as our federal right is under attack.
It's easy to feel like the justice system is irreparably broken. I find my hope in the work of local organizations that are bridging the gaps and filling the voids for members of our society who need us the most. For example, Charleston Legal Access is a sliding-scale law firm providing high-quality representation to folks who can't otherwise afford it; and Turning Leaf has developed a scalable, cognitive behavior therapy-based curriculum for formerly incarcerated men at high-risk of recidivism.
Our collective future depends on our ability to stitch economically and politically disparate communities back together. George Goehl and Reverend William Barber are both making sure that folks in under-invested communities feel heard and know they have options when it comes to electing folks who represent their interests. I think this is some of the most important work happening in America. Check out their conversations with Chris Hayes here and here. (On that note: Why is This Happening is a weekly tonic for the beleaguered political soul. Highly recommend.)
We have got to break down the stigma around mental health. Everyone struggles. Not a human alive is immune to the ups and downs of life. If you or anyone you know has ever experienced anxiety or depression, please take a listen to this podcast on "The Soul of Depression," which I've found enormously clarifying and hopeful. (On that note x2: The On Being Project is another one of my weekly survival tools.)
In case you ever find the internet and/or reality overwhelming (!!), may I suggest signing up for Baratunde Thurston's "Recommentunde" newsletter, which is a brilliant filter of The Insanity We Are Living In, with laughter and tears in equal measure.
Last but certainly not least, Brandi Carlile, Sturgill Simpson, and Lizzo have been a major part of my daily survival this year. And this 2019 playlist from The Bitter Southerner is pretty great, too.
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