Blog: Reflections from an American Garden

Thoughts on staying human in politically tense times.

If you’ve been reading for a while, you know my writings range from playful romps to technical deep dives to thoughtful personal essays. I enjoy the variety and feel equally drawn to each. I’ve given you, the reader, the option to follow the sections that interest you most—I don’t expect every post to resonate with everyone and that's okay.

While the nature of my writing isn’t usually political, we’re living in politically strenuous times—especially here in the U.S.—and a nation's policies and leaders greatly impact the culture, one's sense of belonging, and how we treat each other and the environment.

I am writing this leading up to Independence Day, and while I sincerely tried to prepare a post on anything but this topic, it seems the time has come where I will share with you some of my reflections as an American in this moment.

finally broke out a how-to watercolor book, while avoiding writing, ha!

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I take the story about the boy who cried wolf seriously. While I'm often emotionally affected by what's happening in the world, I tend to err on the side of private contemplation and discussion—watching how people, ideas and world events evolve over time. I'm wary to jump on a bandwagon lest I be blindly carted into a conspiracy land or down a rabbit hole of misinformation. So what I share here, I don't share lightly, but rather from a place of ever-evolving, careful consideration:

Living in the red state of Texas, I’ve witnessed the conservative values held by many of my good-hearted neighbors—values like limited government, individual freedom, and human dignity—be co-opted and distorted to justify actions that look a lot like authoritarianism, a type of governing that is fundamentally at odds with American ideals.

Take, for example, the principle of limited government. Its intent is to protect individual liberties and to not meddle with free markets. On the surface, the current administration’s efforts to dismantle government structures might seem to align with that goal. But if you look closer, it is clear the political actions are not about liberty at all. Instead, the sum of actions appears to be to erode democratic processes, concentrate power, and suppress individual rights, particularly the rights of those who dissent this political agenda. These are textbook tyrannical tactics.

Now look, I am not a professional political commentator, but I am someone who cares deeply about the well-being of humanity and our planet and it is my lived experience that the rotten political landscape and rise of authoritarian strategies is the biggest threat to that.

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The thing that concerns me most is the number of us disconnecting from our own humanity and taking up contradicting beliefs. Some of us say we value justice, and yet look the other way as people are criminalized and detained—or disappeared—without due process. Some of us say we respect women, and yet vote for men who have a history of sexual harassment. Some of us say we value our beautiful planet, and yet assume that it must be within reason to remove protections from national parklands.

While life is full of dualities and we all contain multitudes, if we're not constantly self-critiquing our beliefs, we risk being deluded to believe whatever powerful people want us to believe, often for their own gain. If we rather not pay attention because it's all so exhausting, we risk being lulled into accepting this behavior from government as the new normal.

Down either path—delusion or apathy—we will be unprepared the day we feel the consequences encroaching on our day-to-day life.

How’s this for containing multitudes?

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Recent Reflections & Lessons:

• Personal freedom should never be taken for granted; preserving freedom is a constant political practice. Remain just as vigilant and critical when your preferred political party is in power.

• My freedom is directly linked to the freedom of others. Any act that restricts rights of any other citizen, is a threat to my rights. Given the systemic nature of oppression, be sensitive to the covert ways fellow citizens are marginalized.

• Staying in touch with my own humanity and sense of empathy is the best antidote I've found to prejudice and the kind of self-righteousness that leads to violence (we are all susceptible to this, if you think you've overcome your ability to be prejudice or violent, then you're in a state of self-righteousness).

  • To me this looks like reading books from others' perspective, being honest and aware of my own feelings and practicing self-compassion.

  • Also, anger is an important emotion. In "The Way of Integrtiy" Martha Beck suggests the difference between anger and self-righteousness is that anger can be constructive, while self-righteousness tends to be destructive.

• Staying in touch with my own humanity also means having rich, embodied experiences regularly—the pleasure of getting my hands dirty while composting, the sound of rain, preparing a beautiful meal, belly laughing with a friend, breaking a sweat on a summer walk, a good night’s rest, physical intimacy. It is so important to experience the vitality and joy available to you, especially during hard times as it gives us something to live and fight for.

composting cut garden flowers = my fave juxtaposition

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Concluding Thoughts

In recent years, the American flag has, most unfortunately, become less associated with values like freedom and equal representation—and more associated with loyalty to a single political party, or in some cases, to a single man.

This Independence Day, I’m reminded that the flag is a symbol of the rejection of authoritarian rule. It stands for democratic processes, the power of the people, and individual freedom—despite our complicated and painful history and today’s systemic prejudices, these principles are our nation’s guiding light.

May we see this light in others and carry it within ourselves as we track our way through these uncertain times.

I’ll be back next week with regular soil programming.

With Love & Hope,

Andie