I went to two No Kings protests in Massachusetts yesterday that were very well attended, despite the rain.
Here is a quote from an Axios article about yesterday’s No Kings protests throughout the USA:
At both No Kings protests I attended we stood at intersections with our signs and there was so much horn honking in solidarity that it was difficult for people to hear my protest song “You Don’t Scare Me.” No kings and no noise will ever stop me; people who could hear my song liked it and even sang along. Somebody at my second No Kings protest told me, “I asked AI to write a protest song last night and it was pretty good but yours is better!”
Here are the images I collected on No Kings Saturday.
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Here’s what I find when I search for “No Kings“ on YouTube:
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Thanks to all who are here for this No Kings blog post, including YOU!
That question was inspired, I believe, by my meeting Carmen (who believe it or not, shares the birthday of Groundhog Day with me!) and her husband Manny yesterday on the Viking River Tour.
Manny and I discovered that we both loved the song “I Believe in You” from How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and we both believed in our ability to sing it together at the dinner table.
I believe in people’s ability to connect, learn, and grow despite suspicions and fear about difference, and I saw that in a “stumble stone” on a street in the German city of Koblenz.
As a group therapist, I know that realizing you’re not the only one can be very healing. Yesterday, I tried to express that on Twitter with this tweet:
If you think that’s confusing, you’re not the only one. If you think that’s clever, you’re not the only one. No matter what you think, feel, or do about anything, you’re not the only one.
If you’re thinking that statement doesn’t capture how unique each one of us is, you’re not the only one.
If you’re afraid or not afraid of heights, you’re not the only one.
If you like accumulating possessions or you don’t, you’re not the only one.
If you like cats or you don’t, you’re not the only one.
Do any of my other images today remind you that you are not the only one?
Whatever you think about the Daily Bitch, you’re not the only one.
If you thought of this song while reading this post, you’re not the only one.
Yesterday, in a therapy group where I notice connections among people, I did a mindfulness exercise using these mindfulness cards:
Most of the people in the room took their time noticing the different cards and choosing one they felt a connection with. The two people who were left-handed (including me) randomly chose a mindfulness card without looking. I noticed that connection and then noticed the card I had randomly pulled:
Then, I noticed color connections between that card and my water bottle:
I notice, here and now, that I’ve used the word “connections” only twice before in a blog title. If you want to make connections with those older blog posts (both written in my first year of making connections on WordPress), you can connect to them here and here. I also notice that the first blog post that popped up in my “connections” search was Day 1002: What makes anxiety worse?Because I notice that connections often reduce anxiety, I wonder what connections WordPress noticed there.
I notice connections between the word “older” (which you may notice I used in my previous paragraph) and negative judgments. I’m especially noticing that connection two days before I turn 66.
I also notice connections between my reading the news and my anxiety getting worse, so I am careful to notice news items that help restore and reconnect my faith in humankind, including this one:
Quincy Police rescue tiny owl from roadside
QUINCY — It appears as if Quincy Police has its very own Dr. Dolittle.
Officer Tim Kaes helped a rescue a small saw-whet owl Tuesday night on Victory Road just before 7 p.m. This is the third owl that Kaes has helped rescue.
A person found the injured owl and flagged down a police cruiser, according to Quincy Police Sgt. Karyn Barkas. With animal control off for the night, the officer called in Kaes who Barkas said loves animals.
The owl was brought to the New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth for treatment.
New England Wildlife Center Executive Director Katrina Bergman said that Kaes had just brought in an injured hawk last week that was trapped in the Quincy Center MBTA station. She called Kaes the “slighted animal hero of the South Shore.”
Bergman said the saw-whet appeared to have been hit by a car and has a severe concussion. The small owl, common to the area, was in a bird head trauma protocol, similar to one for humans. If the animal survives its injuries it will be released back into the wild.
The Audobon Society says the bird gets its name from the call it makes, which is supposed to sound like a saw being sharpened against a whetstone. The bird is one of the smallest owl species.
I notice connections with people like Quincy officer Tim Kaes and phrases like “the slighted animal hero of the South Shore.” I notice connections between expressed appreciation and being less slighted, so I hope Tim Kaes notices and connects to that news article.
Do you notice connections in any of my other recent photos?
I notice connections between being near the water and feeling better.
I notice connections between gratitude and positive growth, so thanks to those who helped me notice the connections in this post and — of course! — to YOU, for all the connections you notice.
