Holding Space for My Country

My country is having a meltdown…… and I’m holding space for her.

When I began seriously writing my story a few years back, I was motivated by an underlying sense that outcomes in our personal lives are greatly influenced by the political climate that’s unfolding at the coinciding time. Our attitudes, whether we admit it or not, are formed and shaped by our political ideologies and vice versa ~ Our political ideologies are shaped by our convictions and character for the good or bad. It’s how we navigate through those outcomes that can make us or break us.

I’m holding space for me and my country. What’s unfolding now is not normal and very uncertain. I’ve been in this place before.

[Liminal space ~ When you have left the tried and true, but have not yet been able to replace it with anything else. It is when you are between your old comfort zone and any possible new answer.]

When my children and I were abandoned and were spiraling down into a very vulnerable situation, I found out who the people were who would be there for us. It was unknown territory that was not normal and very uncertain. I learned that it was sometimes up to me alone to make decisions and move us forward. I held liminal space for myself. When it wasn’t clear who I could trust, I learned to trust myself in the midst of uncertainty and confusion.

Now, I’m holding space for my country.

We’re not sure of who we can trust anymore. Sources we thought we could trust have been proven to be false. People who we thought we knew in our personal lives have shown a side of them that has alarmed us. We’re setting boundaries to protect ourselves.  Our country is showing signs of trauma in dealing with the recent events. I’m holding space for America and hoping she’ll find her way.

My journey in life has shown me that we all have experienced trauma at some point in our lives. I’ve learned to recognize those events that trigger my own PTSD responses caused by the trauma that I’ve experienced in the past. This moment in our country’s history has become one of those events. We have a president who shows all the signs of an unhealthy personality. Signs that I’ve come to recognize as red flags and abusive over the years. How do you detach from the country you love so much when you see it in an unhealthy relationship?

We’re all in that liminal space right now. I’m holding space for myself and allowing my country to be responsible for its own baggage. It’s been a long time coming. We have left the ‘tried and true’, as dysfunctional as that was, and are now moving into a totally unknown territory.

My circle of trust is in my faith that divine grace and goodness will see us through. Wherever this takes us we’ll have the strength and courage to take the steps we need to take. I wake up each day grateful for being alive and wanting to devote my time to the things that bring me joy and peace. Right now, I feel a sense of sorrow for this country I love. I believe America needs to go through this learning experience that’s still unfolding.

I’m holding space for America through these growing pains and hoping to see her move forward to a better place.

© Mary Lou  ~ 2017

Images from Pixabay