The week leading up to the inauguration was an anxious one at our house. The tension that had been building since the election seemed to multiply with each passing day. On Thursday, Sarah announced that she wanted the future to end at 11:59 a.m. on Friday, so that Trump would not become President.
While I had been planning for months to take Sarah to the Boston Women's March, as the projected attendance grew and logistics got more complicated, my enthusiasm waned. It didn't feel like the right option for us.
Fortunately, by mid-week, sister events had been planned in both Northampton and Greenfield. In addition, the local chapters of Standing Up for Racial Justice and Mothers Out Front had organized a kids' sign-making activity prior to the rally in Greenfield. Now, that seemed like a good fit for us.
We arrived in Greenfield at 11:00, parked in an empty lot, and made our way to the sign-making location. There were lots of kids and parents crafting colorful, creative messages. At 12:15, we marched with other families, in a somewhat-cohesive group, down the sidewalk to the town common a block away.
The square was already packed, and we couldn't make out what was being said on the loudspeaker, but the mood was magical. Men, women, and children, many in pink cat-eared hats, and most with signs, were smiling and sending out positive energy. The attendance far exceeded estimates, with about 2,500 people.
After the 1@1 moment of silence, we left the crowd and headed back to the car (the classic introvert's escape). On the way home, we stopped at Friendly's for milkshakes, Yankee Candle so Sarah could buy a new Beanie Boo, and the General Store so she could buy yet another (she was adamant about getting one at each place).
We returned home a little before 3:00, and I think we both felt that the future was just a little less scary. There are lots of good people in the world willing to stand up to injustice and cruelty. We are two of them, and I'm confident we will march again.
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