Given the last 70 days of assholery, cruelty, mendacity, and stupidity, we all deserve an uplifting start to the week.

Thus the following story appearing on Substack by the author whose nom de plume is Your Weirdo Friend.

There’s something about this story—simple, plainspoken—that cuts through all the  noise and bloviating hammering us daily. No grand political pundit theories. Just a moment. One that starts with pain and turns, slowly, into something better. Maybe even beautiful.

Here’s what Your Weirdo Friend wrote:

“A couple weeks (lifetimes?) ago, when we watched the MAGA regime bully our Ukrainian ally in the oval office, I felt angry and disgusted by the display of antisemitism–– the depravity of it, these small men so high on their power that they feel immune to history’s verdict of their cruelty. Hell, they seem immune to our assessment of the present: no one voted for this bullshit.

“Anyhow, after I watched that fated video, I remember staring out the window, breathing through tears after calling my elected officials, who don’t seem to like to respond to constituents. I had so much energy in my body, so much anger and so much grief for the people I love who are being hurt by corrupt politicians and greedy amoral billionaires.

“As I was looking out my window, I saw the same rotting wooden billboard in the park. It’s about as big and tall as a school chalkboard. Sometimes community groups try to put flyers on it, but it’s pretty depressing to look at. So, listening to my impulse, I grabbed my acrylic paints and brushes, walked to the park, and painted the word DEMOCRACY in huge rainbow letters on the billboard.

“I was nearly done. All I needed was to outline the letters. That’s when four boys (ages approximately 8-12), who had been playing football with each other moments before, stopped and asked what I was painting.

“Democracy,” I said.

“Why?” they asked.

“Because it’s a gorgeous experiment in learning how to listen and care for each other.”

“Then they asked if they could help outline the letters with me. It felt like magic. I ran across the street to get more brushes. I told my husband: “You’re not gonna believe this. There’s a group of kids who want to help me paint the sign!”

“When I came back outside, with more brushes, I assumed the kids would have gotten distracted and returned to their playing. Nope. They were taking turns using the one brush I’d had out there. When they had their new brushes in hand, some of them (these are short kiddos) used a fence to climb to the top of the sign and outline the tops of the letters. I was a little nervous about this approach, but I reminded myself about all the fences I scaled to climb enormous trees. They were a little wobbly but they did well, just like I did then. One of the kids put smiley faces in every letter that spelled democracy. All four of them signed their names to the billboard.

“As I was cleaning up, their father, also there with them at the park, said: “Well done.”

“So it wasn’t just me. He saw it too.

“And I’m not gonna lie, neighbor, since the billboard had its democratic makeover, that park is more hopping with kids and families than I have ever seen it. And it’s been cold here— the Midwest kind of cold that makes everyone grouchy. I look out the window now and see people huddling around it like hearth. And in a way, it is.”

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May all of us have weirdo friends like this—those who paint light into dark corners. Hold tight to them.

Have a good week.

Roger

P.S.  If you want to help paint the national billboard for democracy on Saturday, April 5th join the national “We Fight Together” demonstrations and protests and bring along some donors.  For April 5th activity in you area check here.

P.P.S.  At a time when “messaging” is more important than ever you’ll want to sign up for the  April 3rd DonorVoice Webinar on messaging.  It’s free to attend and you can register here.