I thought I would approach writing this week with a heavy heart, because it has been choas. Instead, tonight, I went to the opera.
This was my first time going to a large scale performance art event. The only productions I had been to were put on by my high school. I'm usually not willing to spend the money, but my friend accidently bought an extra ticket, and I decided to go. I put on a cocktail dress that I've never worn in public before, and childishly selected some opera gloves that I bought for a halloween costume three years ago. We made these plans back in September, and the world ending because of the presidential election wasn't going to stop us.
I sat through two and half hours (with a short intermission break) transfering my attention between the stage, where actors paraded as cowboys in the old west singing at the top of their lungs in Italian, and a small box, where the english translation ran in tiny print and blue letters. Afterwards, I went outside to be surprised by a Jazz band playing in the streets.
While I would like to say that the classical beauty of the century old opera was what struck me about the evening, it was actually watching an old couple dance swing, and another old couple hold hands and sway to the music. One was same sex, the other was not. There were probably a lot of people with dofferences at the Opera house,but the came there to watch something unifying and beautiful (if you enjoy being yelled at in Italian for three hours).
Societal rifts and harsh words surround everyone now, and many people struggle to discern what role they should take. Bipartisan? Defensive of minorities? Adament in their accusations of blame? I've felt the surge to do all of those things.
This week was terrible, but it also wasn't. My friend texted me last morning to tell me that his African American girlfriend was experiencing racial discrimination in Texas. He said he didn't understand what she was experiencing, but,most noteable, he asked me what he could do to help. I showed up to work the morning after the election and found a nice note on my laptop from my coworker. My Muslim friends have shared on Facebook that they feel terrified, two other friends have gotten threatening messages. I went to school to study, and my friend took an hour out of his study time to explain the concepts to me.
The world hasn't fallen apart yet. We can still make a difference in people's lives by treating them kindly and realizing we have more in common than previously thought. Enjoy the good moments as they come, stand up for those who need it and love the people around you.