Link Love: Election Week, Veteran's Day, ATCQ and Light

Friends and yogis, this week has been tough. But the light is there, if we only take a moment to look.

Today is Veteran's Day. Now, not one of us enjoys the prospect of war, of the senseless killing of others. But throughout history and even today, our men and women in service are often those helpers that Mr. Rogers told us to look for. They have stood up for people throughout the world who have been silenced and victimized. From World War Two liberation forces all the way through time to the work being done now in Afghanistan to educate and empower women, our veterans have gone into dangerous situations with the intention to do good.

So today, yes, thank those veterans close to you. But also, educate yourself on the very real challenges our veterans face coming home. And do something.

For our local readers, today it's possible that we will hear the jury's verdict in the Tensing trial. While emotions (particularly fear) are high right now, Rachel offered us all some hope last night when she visited our studio in OTR. Remember, the best antidote to this fear is right outside your door: our community. We don't stand alone.

You guys, a new A Tribe Called Quest album came out today, and it is so perfect, the music we need right now. The lyrics for this album were largely laid down in March, and yet, it's a perfectly topical album for this week. A wise reminder to all of us that the issues we're seeing did not originate on Tuesday. They were here long before. This is not just a moment of crisis; it's an awakening.

Finally, sadly, Leonard Cohen died yesterday. Another huge, heartbreaking artistic loss for this year. And yet, a passing filled with wisdom and impeccable timing. I'm not sure I otherwise would have been reminded of my favorite Cohen song in this turbulent week:

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
It's how the light gets in.

So many of you feel cracked right now, broken. That's okay; in fact, it's right. But please remember to allow the light in. There is power in being vulnerable to the hurts of this word: we can heal stronger.