Like so many of us, I am horrified that our country has elected such a deplorable person to serve as our president for the next four years. I have been besieged by emails from multitudes of environmental and social justice organizations urging me not to despair but to double down on efforts to make a better country. Perhaps later on I will respond to their rallying cry. But for now, I thought I would share lyrics from that great musician and humanitarian, Leonard Cohen, who died last week as they offer some hope in the long run. 

• The birds they sang at the break of day.
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• Start again, I heard them say.
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• Don’t dwell on what has passed away,
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• Or what is yet to be.
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• Ring the bells that still can ring,
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• Forget your perfect offering.
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• There is a crack in everything,
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• That’s how the light gets in.

-- Judith Bernstein - Arroyo Grande

-- Judith Bernstein - Arroyo Grande