some choices

hey friends,

i’m so sorry for being late in sending our letter to you this weekend. a tardy submission will definitely happen again sometime between now and the next presidential election in my country—and i have the audacity to hope that in four years, it’ll be elation that leaves me wordless and not the devastation that i felt earlier this week.

it’ll be elation.

as ever, but most especially now,

thank you for being here with me.

-SN

the story

choice

the reader

stood before

1984

Farenheit 451

The Hunger Games

The Handmaid’s Tale

and so on…

so if

these dystopian dreams

weren’t merely cautionary tales

but were actually prophecy…?

so then

her pen

-her weapon-

-of choice-

appeared in her hand

and then

the writer

authored stories

not just of could be futures

but of those that should be

may they all come true

the conversation

the question

how are you?

the curation

“Embrace diversity.

Unite—

Or be divided,

robbed,

ruled,

killed

By those who see you as prey.

Embrace diversity

Or be destroyed.”

― Octavia E. Butler, Parable of the Sower

“Frodo: I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.

Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

“Love. That was what she had that IT did not have.”

― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time

embrace, live, and love.

the playlist

i’ve updated this month’s playlist description to more accurately reflect a few of the tracks that i added this week—“fireplaces, steamy mugs, flannel blankets, and heartfelt thanks... with a soupçon of tracks that may induce catharsis.” i want to highlight Rocket Man by Elton John, and i highly recommend watching the official music video created by “Iranian filmmaker and refugee Majid Adin” (from the description box). it was uploaded seven years ago, and i remember being so moved by the “new” video (at the time) that accompanied the “old” lyrics that i’ve somehow always known. i haven’t been able to watch the video since because it’s too perfect.

Beyonce’s AMERICAN REQUIEM closes out this week’s additions. i believe that choice speaks for itself.

the reading

i was torn between recommending a book that speaks to The Moment and recommending a book that offers an escape from The Moment. i landed on The Anthropocene Reviewed because of John Green’s ability to look so deeply into the personal experience that it becomes universal. from the book’s description: “The Anthropocene Reviewed is an open-hearted exploration of the paths we forge and an unironic celebration of falling in love with the world.” i hope it helps as a distraction from things that may be hurtful right now and as a way back to the things that heal you always.

the community

i’m beginning to grow our community on a few different platforms, which has led to me experience some complicated feelings about speaking to an audience puppeteered by algorithms. i’ll speak more about this to you—dearest non-algorithmed friends—next week. :)

the awe

i’m writing this on Carl Sagan’s birthday. in honor of all that he contributed to humanity, i’m sharing one of his most necessary contributions. i hope his perspective soothes you.

the affirmations

you define yourself

allow no one else

access to that

privilege

the archives

this letter reflects the fact that i haven’t been my best this week, and i’m sure many of you can relate. but we’re still showing up to the people and to the projects that we care about in our lives, and that means something powerful. in light of the “messy execution” of this week’s letter, i’m reminded of the story from the scariest part.

the good stuff

one benefit of sending this letter later in the weekend—and after way too much procrastinating on YouTube—is that this week’s highlights from SNL have come out as i’m working on my final edits. here is the Cold Open, and it’s perfection. :) the good stuff isn’t usually the last section of our letter, but this sketch sets the tone to which i’m aspiring going forward—levity in the face of wtactualf.

our thriving will be the best revenge.

going forward…

-Sarah Narei

thumbnail photo by Rod Long on Unsplash