valeria out loud

Over the many years of having this blog, about thirteen years now, I’ve intentionally kept it a space free of politics. A conscious choice to focus on sharing my life’s moments, travels, culture, family experiences, and reflections, without the weight of divisive topics. I am not one to look for conflict or to argue over my feelings and thoughts, so it felt like the right thing to do. Keep it a place of joy and solace. But since this election cycle, then November, and especially since Monday, I’ve felt the overwhelming frustrations of before creep in again- which feel bigger than me and the need to process it, even if I do it here in words.

To put it plainly: I’m struggling to stomach the current president with all of his choices and the executive orders being implemented. Not that I didn’t know this was coming. I just always am hopeful that people will do the right thing. But. His last term in office was the most divisive years that I have ever lived through- and I don’t just mean from one side of the political aisle either. From both. My democrat friends went extreme left just as my republican friends turned MAGA. All seemingly normal people who went off the rails every day arguing- unhinging from reality a bit more until I no longer recognized them. I lost respect for a lot of people and walked away from a lot of family and friends. Yup, even family. I was not safe in either direction to have any healthy exchange of opinions or to debate facts or even just to shoot the shit of that time without being attacked. It felt like a mental illness was leading everyone by the hand with arguing or being angry. Nuance was gone. Civility was gone. Common sense flew the coop. And I was just not able to have discussions to express or hash out my thoughts at all. Except in my bubble of family and close knit friends.

It was a bizarre four years and it feels like it’s back two fold. Angrier and more direct than before.

For me. This isn’t about picking political sides or throwing out stupid labels demeaning people —or trashing anyone-it’s about feeling disheartened when decisions and policies seem to stray so far from what feels humane, fair, or even logical. It’s about watching shifts happen that don’t align with the values that I hold dear- the ones I pass down to my children: compassion, equality, and responsibility for each other. It’s watching mobs of people agree with an ideology that’s been created to suppress ..even them!

I’ve sat quietly with all of these feelings, convincing myself that staying apolitical on this online arena as the “right” thing to do. But is it? Does staying apolitical mean I must stay silent when something feels so wrong? Does it mean suppressing the urge to speak up when policies impact those who are already vulnerable or widen divides that are hard enough to bridge?

I just don’t want to come across as being complicit in anything because of my WordPress silence because I am not complicit with this administration. I am just responding with respect because I know how to let people feel their own feelings and not have this need to destroy them. That isn’t my job in life. It’s to be empathetic, understanding and respectful of my fellow humans feelings and lifestyle choices. That is it. And I believe this is why watching the country regress over these past few days has become overwhelming. I feel the pain of all that are suffering and I just couldn’t keep silent anymore.

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What do you think? How do you navigate the tension between staying apolitical for your sanity and speaking out when something feels wrong? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Valeria xo