The weather the past few days has been wet, stormy, and a little bleak. I spend a few hours here and there in the studio, but I have been restless and look forward to sunnier days. In the meantime, we have taken to watching movies and documentaries in the evenings. We’ve watched three movies over the past few days that made a huge impact on me; Just Mercy, Richard Jewell, and The Founder. A common thread through all of these movies was the abuse of power. I think JK Rowling had it right when she wrote in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, “It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it.” Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well.” I think this quote is indicative of the students who were thrust into the limelight after the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida. They did not seek power or notoriety when they raised their voices and started the “Never again” movement. A “Times” article stated “ these students have become the central organizers of what may turn out to be the most powerful grassroots gun-reform movement in nearly two decades.” This is in sharp contrast to the power used by those depicted in the movies I watched this past week. The use of power in these circumstances was to abuse, punish, cast doubt, and take advantage of those who have been silenced far too long or who did not have the means to stand up for themselves. We are a seeing similar abuse of power in our country today. I highly recommend Just Mercy (story of Walter McMillian, who is sentenced to die in 1987 for the murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite evidence proving his innocence), Richard Jewell (Hailed as a hero who saved lives, Jewell's own life starts to unravel when the FBI names him the prime suspect in the bombing), The Founder (Kroc maneuvers himself into a position to be able to pull the company from the brothers and create a multi-billion dollar empire). There is a lot of unrest in our country, from Black Lives Matter and Politics, to COVID19 and so much more. How are you coping? What are you doing to manage your stress? I am taking this time to educate myself about current topics. As Maya Angelou wrote, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better”. Here's to doing better!
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