I retreat and still resist.

Having signed up for this yoga, writing and creativity retreat last October, I felt certain of a different outcome from the election, never imagining a need for marching on this day.

Instead, here I am, in Ojai, practicing yoga, creative writing, meeting new people, embraced by mountains and sea.

One of my daughters is with me, the other marches in Boston. In this creatively lush setting,photos of beautiful, natural sights come easily this morning. As I assemble them here, instinctively, I want to feature the evocative Calla Lily. Quickly, the thought follows: Georgia O'Keefe. And so, I find the quote above - which seems to fit the spirit of the day, and my spontaneous writing from earlier today: 

The women, the men who love them, march to resist

They gather to strengthen the constitution, it's principles

They stand for generosity, dignity, respect, compassion

They seek understanding, knowledge, trust

They shout for free speech, free exchange of ideas

They walk for defense from unlawful, unethical exploitation

They march against defilement, against grabbing

against stealing from and harming women's bodies

They march against fear of strange and unknown cultures

They march against the lullaby of familiarity and glamour

They move against reckless disregard, against bullies

They stand up to trampling bodies and tricking minds

They march for reproductive rights, for the freedom to choose

to end a pregnancy or not begin one

They march for strength against the passionate acts of religious zealots

They are marching "to feel America, like America, love America and then work."

All text and photos copyright Kelly DuMar, 2017, unless otherwise attributed.