The Vibe Isn’t Vibing

I’ve changed my Word of the Year from Vibe to “Touch Grass.” 

The Vibe isn’t vibing.

Or, it is, but it’s so dissonant and discordant that I can’t entrain with it, or even stand to be in its presence.

The Vibe I’m picking up everywhere is one I’m constantly trying to plug my ears to, shield my body from, and cover my eyes to keep from seeing, because it’s the vibe of misogyny and male entitlement, and deliberate ignorance. And it’s twanging all around me, enraging me and dysregulating me.

And just as bad, maybe worse, is the Vibe of Toxic Positivity that I encounter on social media. People on Facebook, etc, naively choosing to not see that we’re living in a society of rapey men and pedophiles and war mongers and bold-faced liars, and instead posting saccharine, virtue signalling, nausea-inducing tripe like:

 Oh well. Since I can’t control it, I’m just going to be happy in my little bubble of white privilege, and love my neighbor, and overlook and excuse my neighbor for being a deliberately ignorant ignoramus who voted three times for this madman slash rapist slash pedophile slash demented immoral monster. 

Lalalala. Heart emoji, flower emoji, rainbow emoji. Prayer hands emoji. God bless.

So, no, I’m not vibing. 

Instead, I’m touching grass. (My new phrase.)

I’m trying to stay in touch with smells, and tastes, and textures, and weather, and my body temperature, and my heartbeat. I’m trying to stay in the present. In Reality. I’m trying to stay in contact with the earth, the dirt, the grass.

At the moment, there is no grass to touch, but I can: 

• Clean, 
• Make bread, 
• Read—especially fiction. 
• Take walks. 
• Swing a kettlebell. 
• Stay away from people. 
• Eat broccoli. 
• Cook real food. 
• Sip hot water. 
• Take baths. 
• Go to bed early. 
• Restrict news. 
• Feed the birds. 
• Iron.

When the actual grass appears, I can touch it, and:

• Go outside. 
• Dig in the dirt. 
• Plant something. 
• Buy flowers. 
• Walk farther. 
• Take the kayak out. 
• Ride the bike. 
• Go on a hike. 
• Many hikes. 
• Get out of town on the regular. 
• Watch birds. 
• Take pictures. 
• Sit by the river. 
• Sit by a waterfall. 
• Look at art. 
• Find a project.

Especially that last one. I desperately need an all-engrossing project.  It’s essential to my continued growth and sanity.