Though one of the things I love about writing this letter series is its closeness and specificity, the luxury to look tightly at one plant, one flower, the truth is that when I become aware of the natural world, it is impossible to ignore how interconnected and dependent we are upon each other. I want to see a free Palestine; I dream of a world in which settler colonialism and genocidal violence do not exist; I grieve for all suffering in Gaza, and for those who are living with pain and fear. I have appreciated the organizing and statements from Jewish Voice for Peace, and if you are able to donate funds, consider the Palestinian American Medical Association’s relief campaign for Gaza hospitals, as well as Doctors Without Borders, which is responding to urgent medical need in Gaza.
I often write about my emotional life in terms of doors and rooms. To face a choice is to look down a hallway, or series of hallways; doors are open or shut.
Sometimes what I need is in another room.