Few will have the greatness to bend history, but each of us can work to change a small portion of the events, and in the total of all these acts will be written the history of this generation. ~Robert Kennedy
My husband was telling me about a new book he’s reading about a photographer named Vivian Maier.
She lived a somewhat tragic life. A difficult childhood. A few precious years as a nanny caring for a family of boys. A sad chapter of hoarding.
She documented it all with her camera, which she took everywhere. (She took over 150,000 photographs.) Her images are striking, original, haunting.
She was “discovered” when a storage unit of hers was auctioned off after she fell behind on payments; one of the purchasers spotted her talent immediately. He shared the images in an online community called Flickr.
She’s a household name among photographers now.
But she died years before her work was appreciated for what it is.
And while that’s tragic, too, because of what she left behind, we can literally see the world through her eyes. With each negative we can retrace her steps and watch her life unfold. The images are a window to her mind, if not her soul.
It reminded me of Emily Dickenson, whose poems, like Vivan’s negatives, were “discovered” after her death. We can’t literally see the world through Dickenson’s eyes like we can with Maier’s photographs, but Dickenson gets as close as you can with prose.
Both of their legacies have evolved over time, transforming two reserved (some would say reclusive) women into larger than life subjects. I find that fascinating – and I wonder what they would think about it, if we asked them now.
Is that the legacy they would want?
Would they be amused by the fuss? Or maybe annoyed that this poem or that image garnered all the attention, when they favored another?
I was thinking about those women this past week as I dug through boxes in our basement, looking for some hand weights that I know I have around here somewhere…
I didn’t find the weights.
But I did find notebooks. Boxes of them. Going all the way back to 2016.
And as I flipped through them, I realized that it has become increasingly important to me that the people that I love – and some that I don’t yet know – be able to see the history of the last few years through my eyes when I’m no longer here to explain myself.
(I’m not planning on going anywhere, just so you know.)
But like it or not, at some point our life’s story will end and our legacy will begin. We get to shape that legacy with what we do today. Every day.
I am not a poet. I’m not a particularly good photographer. But I know what I want those who look back at my life to see.
I want them to see someone who believed, passionately and uncompromisingly, that we are all important. Every last one of us. Every single voice, no matter how quiet, or halting, or uncertain.
No matter how rich, or poor, or smart, or atypical.
Educated or not.
Healthy or not.
Young. Old. Weak. Strong.
All of us.
That includes you.
Especially you.
And now, these past few years, I’ve seen just how many others believe the same.
So as this week goes into the next, and into the next, and into the one after that – dissolving into the longest year or the shortest year in memory… know that someday, when days feel more concrete and life just a little less delicate, you will look back on this time. Years from now you’ll reflect on some of the hardest and stickiest moments.
Like the moment you recognized you – you! – had a part to play in this messy, slippery democracy.
And you’ll know what you decided to do in the days that followed.
And in the days that followed those days.
And those days will be part of your story. Your legacy. Your portrait. Your sonnet.
And someday, instead of finding stacks of negatives, or sheets of poetry, my grandkids will find notebooks from meetings. They’ll find emails, and essays, and ideas that were good but never went anywhere. They’ll find passion. Inspiration. An eagerness that seemed boundless…
Emily Dickenson I’m not.
Vivian Maier I’m not.
But that doesn’t mean I’m not leaving a legacy. It’s just captured in the life I’ve lived – in however many weeks, and months, and years that I’m blessed to have.
I plan to make it count, and make the most of every moment.
I wish the same for you, friend.
Now let’s get to work.
Actions for the Week of September 5, 2023
THREE BRANCHES OF THE ARMED FORCES HAVE NO SENATE CONFIRMED LEADER BECAUSE OF ONE SENATOR
I’m re-upping this, because it’s just getting worse. The Army, Navy, and Marines all now have acting (interim) leaders because Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville doesn’t like that members of the armed services are allowed up to three weeks of administrative leave for them or their dependents to travel for an abortion. Many states with the most restrictive anti-abortion laws have military bases – so ensuring that service members can get time off to obtain healthcare is critical Defense Department policy.
Tuberville has now blocked a whopping 300 confirmations. He’s a one-man assault on our military readiness, and we can and should ask our senators what they plan to do about it.
If your senator is a member of the Armed Services Committee, it’s time to give them a call and ask them what on earth they are doing to convince their colleague to step aside and allow these confirmations. It’s that simple of a script:
Script: Hi, my name is [name] and I’m calling from [zip]. I’m really concerned about the over 270 confirmations that are being held up by Senator Tuberville, and I want to know what Senator [insert name of your senator] is doing about it. This is obviously impacting our military readiness – and making us look weak in the eyes of the rest of the world!
Here are the members of the Armed Services Committee. Missouri folks, note that Senator Eric Schmitt is on the committee and deserves a call.
Majority:
Reed, Jack (RI), Chairman
Shaheen, Jeanne (NH)
Gillibrand, Kirsten E. (NY)
Blumenthal, Richard (CT)
Hirono, Mazie K. (HI)
Kaine, Tim (VA)
King, Angus S. (ME)
Warren, Elizabeth (MA)
Peters, Gary C. (MI)
Manchin, Joe (WV)
Duckworth, Tammy (IL)
Rosen, Jacky (NV)
Kelly, Mark (AZ)
Minority:
Wicker, Roger F. (MS), Ranking Member
Fischer, Deb (NE)
Cotton, Tom (AR)
Rounds, Mike (SD)
Ernst, Joni (IA)
Sullivan, Dan (AK)
Cramer, Kevin (ND)
Scott, Rick (FL)
Tuberville, Tommy (AL)
Mullin, Markwayne (OK)
Budd, Ted (NC)
Schmitt, Eric (MO)
Join Red Wine and Blue on Thursday, September 7, 2023 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM ET
Ready to stand up to right-extremists causing chaos at school board meetings? Want to defeat calls for book bans in your schools? Learn how to effectively get people to join together and the tactics needed to impact issues in your community. Join us to discuss — and make your voices heard in your community!! Join: https://secure.everyaction.com/MlfcvBDLn0yaKjVftLYfQw2?emci=5d74ac25-db48-ee11-a3f1-00224832eb73&emdi=2d0ac6b3-a649-ee11-a3f1-00224832eb73&ceid=41592
Our States Our Fates: September 7
From Indivisible: For this call, we will feature a panel with experts like Gail Cowie from Indivisible Georgia District 10, Allison Troy from Popular Comms, and North Carolina Program Director of Red, Wine, and Blue Janice Robinson who are implementing various strategies and narratives to protect the Freedom to Learn. We’ll then practice crafting and using campaign-related messaging together, within the safe space of the campaign call.
Join Indivisible’s Truth Brigade Call on Sept. 13:
From Indivislbe: Disinformation poisons minds and prevents our society from moving forward to protect the people and the planet. Lies are spread to obtain unearned power — it’s as simple as that. Lies around voting and elections provide the path to that unearned power. Join us the second Wednesday of each month to learn where we are most vulnerable, and how we can and must disrupt disinformation. Leave each call inspired, clear-headed and focused on taking meaningful action. https://indivisible.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pcOGtqzkvHdCqLbG-BsZW8AE5YQ-MCJBl#/registration
WHEW! GO TEAM!
P.S.: Why don’t you make someone’s day and send this pep talk to a friend or two? I bet they need it.
If you’d like to sign up to get this pep talk and action list in your in-box each week, you can do that here. Welcome, friend!
P.P.S.: If you want to help support this work you can do so via Patreon at
https://www.patreon.com/smalldeedsdone or via paypal at https://www.paypal.me/smalldeeds
My deepest gratitude in advance.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for writing. I read and respond to every email! We’re in this together. Don’t you forget it.
Small Deeds Done 