I started the day with a sense of hope, an energy. A good morning, as they say. But it didn’t last long. Something shifted. And all day, I’ve felt a kind of heaviness I just haven’t been able to shake. I tried to rest. I tried to walk it off. But nothing cleared the fog. So now, I’m writing.

The truth is, this isn’t just about one off day. It’s about a growing unease that I know I’m not alone in feeling. It’s the quiet ache of watching what’s happening around us and wondering how much more we can take. It’s seeing the state of our country and realizing we are not only in a constitutional crisis, but a humanitarian one. Regardless of where you may fall or the thoughts you have on this, it is a fact and a very real part of the timeline we’re on.

People who are here legally are being deported or detained without due process. For speaking out. For existing. This is our reality. And if you think it doesn’t affect you, I urge you to look again. This isn’t just about policy. It’s about humanity. It’s about each of us caring for every person whose rights and safety are at risk.

And if you know me, then you know this hits close to home. I’m someone who believes in truth, in justice, in protecting the most vulnerable. I’m a gay man who celebrates the LGBTQ+ community in all of its beauty. That alone puts me on the list. Not because I’ve done anything wrong, but because of who I am and what I stand for. And it’s only a matter of time before that becomes reason enough unless we speak out and show up.

They are trying to overwhelm us, wear us down, and make us fearful. I’ve been worried to speak too loudly, share too much on social media or attend a protest. The thing is, I’m already on their list. So I need to release this fear and speak up. I need to show up. Because regardless of anything, we still have a choice. Every single day, in every single moment, we have a choice.

When life gets hard, when the world feels too dark, we can hide, or we can rise.

We can collapse under the weight of dread or use what strength we have to stand. We can shrink into fear or step forward into connection. Into community. Into action.

I know how cliché it sounds, but I believe it deeply. Even in the darkness, there is light. Especially in this darkness. Why do I believe this? Because of you. Because of me. There is light in each of us.

And in this season of renewal as spring sets in, I want to find that light and hold on. Even if it’s just a single sunbeam breaking through the clouds. A single voice rising. A single protest halfway around the world that ripples outward and finds its way here. Whatever it is, let it be our motivation. Let’s hold that light and lead the way for those who may not yet see it. 

There is a rise happening. A rise in humanity. A wave of people speaking out and showing up. Even if it isn’t being broadcast on the nightly news, it’s happening. You can feel it in the undercurrent. In the energy. In the way people are refusing to look away.

And while today didn’t feel bright for me, I’m trying to hold on to that. To remember that we don’t always have to be the light. We just have to keep holding it and keep moving forward.

If you’re feeling it too, I see you. And you’re not alone. Let’s keep rising.