On weekday mornings, when I take my dog, Zeke, out for his morning walk, our route takes us down the block and past several apartment buildings.
As we approach one set of apartments, we always run into a tiny young Latina mother and her even tinier, kindergarten-age daughter. They are waiting for the school bus. The daughter always asks her mother for a little piggy back ride as they stand there waiting for the bus, and the mother happily obliges in the request. The two of them are adorable in the show of love they have for each other.
The young girl is especially smitten with Zeke and always says “Hello” to my little doggie. This doesn’t register with Zeke, since he’s usually pre-occupied with sniffing every lamp post and tree. On his behalf, I always give the two of them a smile and a friendly nod.
This morning was the same as always, shared smiles then continuing on our stroll.
However, as I walked on with Zeke, I mulled over the election and how Trump’s proposed insane and cruel immigration policies will affect this wonderful little Mexican family.
I fear for their safety and their future.
The mother's only wish for her daughter is the same as any other mother, to work at providing a better, happy life. Yet sadly, they find themselves in a time where xenophobic extremists will govern our country, unfairly and wrongfully labeling their tiny family as a national threat.
This awful fact made me realize the return of Donald Trump, and his minions of self-serving malfeasance, signals a lack of two emotions we desperately need if we ever hope to survive as a nation: empathy and compassion.
These emotions, combined with a sense of hope and community, are the only tools a country has to strengthen itself against those whose evil would seek to plunder and destroy our souls.
Let’s all agree to work together to increase our empathy and compassion, because we’re going to need a truckload of it over the next few years.
Peace.
