Saturday, April 5 was one great day for me.

It was the first day of the Regular Season of our local Farmers Market, the Cary Downtown Farmers Market. Our Market runs all year long, but many farmers and other vendors don’t come during the “Winter Market” (November through March). Thus, the first day of the regular season is always a homecoming of beloved farmers and other vendors we haven’t seen for many months. It’s still early for a lot of produce, but I did get my first local spinach for the year, some lovely winter carrots, and my favorite cheeses from our cheese vendor, Boxcarr Handmade Cheese. And several bread products.

I couldn’t linger for my usual community time because I had places to go, political acts to protest. As I’ve been writing about, I was making my displeasure known about the illegal practices of the Trump Administration by participating in a Hands Off rally in nearby Raleigh, NC.

I didn’t like or agree with many policies that President Trump pursued during his first term. But he won, and had to right to try to advance the political agenda on which he had run.

This time is different. The Constitution does NOT allow the President–let alone the unelected Elon Musk–to cut funding from the budget. The budget is determined by Congress, and only Congress can decide to cut funding it had previously passed. The President is NOT constitutionally allowed to only spend the money that he (so far there have only been males) agrees with and withhold funding he doesn’t like. Similarly, the Constitution does NOT permit the President to do away with agencies he thinks are unnecessary. Again, that is Congress’s job. The Constitution also states that it is Congress that imposes tariffs on foreign countries, as well as taxes on American cities.

So President Trump is ignoring the Constitution, which is the keystone of American democracy. And the Republican-led US House and Senate are allowing him to take over the duties that are given to them alone. It’s no longer a matter of disagreeing about policy issues. It is a matter of our President and the Republicans in the Congress disregarding Constitutional mandates.

So when the organization 50501 announced they were organizing at least 50 rallies across all 50 states with 1 purpose–to stop this attack on our Constitutional system, I knew I had to do my part. I spread the word and signed up for our local rally. In the end, a group of 8 friends from our spiritual center to agreed to attend together. I also had other friends from my other communities who were going.

A few of us took a local bus down to the rally site, which was environmentally friendly (remember, it’s Earth Day this month) as well as cheap and easy. No hassles with traffic or parking! It turned out that everyone on the bus was going to the rally as well, so we had a very friendly ride downtown.

Once there, we eventually found our crowd. My other friends and I were sending photos back and forth so we could at least share the experience via text. The several blocks between the State Legislative Building and the old Capitol were packed with people. Even friends who got close to the official stage said they couldn’t hear the speakers. So we gave that up and just enjoyed walking through the crowd and admiring the positive energy and the camaraderie of our fellow protesters.

There were people there of all ages, from infants to elderly in wheelchairs or walkers. While it was a primarily white crowd, there were people of many different races and cultural backgrounds (based on their clothes at least). What was fantastic was the effort people had poured into their protest signs (that is mine displayed above). There was a big variety of subject matter, since people were supporting many, many different things that had come under attack by this Administration. Many were artistic, some were snarky, and some were laugh-aloud funny. But they were all heart-felt.

There was another whole element in this protest held in the center of Raleigh. They had not closed down the streets that ran across the rally area. Many cars drove by and showed their support by flying flags, honking their horns, or even displaying signs on their own. That’s not an option in DC demonstrations.

The best part of all was just the general energy. People were empowered by standing up publicly for things they obviously cared about. It was just a very positive, united energy. We chanted, admired and took pictures of each other’s signs, moved over as people were trying to walk in the opposite direction, or stepped away from the handrails on the stairs if we were just standing and someone was trying to climb up or down. The police were friendly and minimally involved, mostly just trying to keep everyone safe. It was a lovely cooperative group of people in a greater density than I think I’ve experienced in North Carolina (coming from DC, I’m used to much less personal space than I usually find in the Triangle).

When we left, we were whisked home on an almost empty, clean, air-conditioned bus driven by a wonderful driver, who also honked the bus horn in support of the remaining protesters.

Everyone in our group at least were totally jazzed about the entire experience. It was a really great atmosphere to make our opinions known with a LOT of like-minded folks. It’s estimated there were around 7,000 people at the Raleigh rally, which is a LOT for that area.

I have some physical conditions I live with, so I left with aching feet and a stiff knee and sore shoulders for having brought a backpack with too much stuff (the mom in me–bringing things that I or someone else just MIGHT need). But I was nourished emotionally, knowing I had done the best I could do, on that day at least, to defend our democrary.

I got ready to eat lunch when a reminder popped up on my phone. I had forgotten that weeks before the rally was announced, I had signed up for a free Sound Bath program at a local library. I had enough time to get there before the program started. I was tired, but I thought, Why not? So I ate a light late lunch and headed over there.

If you aren’t familiar with Sound Bath, it is a healing and centering process based on sounds and vibrations. It uses crystal bowls, chimes, bells, voice, and other musical or sound instruments to send vibrations to help the body get into alignment.

Here is this practitioner’s set up for the library:

So I got to do that for an hour! I had a hard time settling my mind, which was still stimulated by all the experience from the rally. But my legs and shoulders definitely felt better after being “auditorially massaged” by her beautiful instruments.

A friend was also there so we hung out for a while and caught up. So that was another lovely experience.

By the time I got home, I was worn out. I made myself a sandwich and ate some of the salad I had left over from the night before. Then I got into bed and read more of my current novel.

That night I had some spiritually meaningful dreams. And after meditating and journaling about them, I really appreciated their insights.

So, a pretty great day, don’t you think?