I have a deep admiration for Sidney Poitier. We must have been besties or at least friendly neighbors in a past life, I am sure of it. I mean, look at how his face crinkles when he smiles and his eyes change in intensity with each emotion – amazing, no? I know that’s acting, but even actors are still themselves on some level. Or maybe not. I have no idea not being one or knowing any other than some ridiculous characters in my own life. Neither Sidney Poitier, or his character Mr. Thackeray, in the movie “To Sir With Love,” are comparable to the ‘sir’ I am referring to in the first note below EXCEPT for the changing dynamics and trajectory of complicated yet quite simple human dynamics, power struggle, meaning, and worthiness.

To Sir,

As you leave your leadership position for our country, I am writing a reluctant thank you note. Reluctant in the sense that the “thank-you’s” I refer to are not for things I would have wanted or wished for any of us. But I do thank you.

You have brought forth a terrifyingly disorienting uncomfortable mirror reflecting back on us those most debase and deplorable human traits we all posses to some degree on some level. For some of us, this has humbled us in such a way that we are able to commit to doing the excruciating hard work of holding ourselves and each other accountable with more firmly redefined boundaries and actionable education. For others of us, the mirror reflected permission to be emboldened with reinforced racism, inhumane actions, abuse, narcissism, and other sociopathic behaviors.

Our collective integrity and ability to unify and move forward with our humane best interests guiding our democracy requires accountability for the repercussions your words and actions have incited. It is with love and gratitude that I wish for you, and those who have chosen your reflection as permission to absorb your sociopathy, to experience these firm boundaries and absolute accountability. This is the way forward for all of us together. We refused to acknowledge those abhorrent things about ourselves, about our country, until you held up that mirror. To un-know it now will be our demise and we cannot afford that. Our children cannot afford that. The world cannot afford that. But, we needed to know these things, we needed to know you, your sychophants, and be reminded of how fragile our own humanity is, before we could start the hard work for the great changes and atonements we need to make to ourselves, our communities, our country and the world.

While I acknowledge that you are most likely unable to receive the accountability, grace, and peace I wish for you, I send it anyway. Because this is how we heal – without the ill-advised pressure of dismissing what has passed or forgetting – setting healthy boundaries, having appropriate accountability, and then we are able to unify for the sake of all of our futures.

Thank you, We the People

Dear Sir/Madame,

As you re-enter the realm of leadership at the highest positions in our country, I am writing to wholly and completely thank you.

You are arriving at a time where we need a leader with humane-centric ideas, thoughts, words and actions along with strength and experience. You embody this and have made the sacrifice once again to stand before us all and lead us forward with integrity-based cohesiveness.

I look forward to working hard alongside my communities as we hold our boundaries firm with what it means to have a humane-based democracy with civil discourse across multiple disciplines in regards to resolving the pressing issues we face as individuals, families, communities, country and globally. The way forward to this unity can only take place when we also have a firm foundation of accountability and education.

Please always encourage us to remember how fragile our unity can be without healthy humane boundaries, without accountability. Please encourage us to remember how important accountability is in order for us to feel those firm humane boundaries.

I feel confident that you will receive this message as intended – full of encouragement, dedication, peace and confidence in you and your team. Thank you for putting yourselves out there for us and our country. You are true patriots.

Good luck, You! Good luck, US! Let’s do these hard things.

Love, We the People

And that is that. Let’s embrace today for a time of being thankful that enough of us have saved our democracy for now. Let’s give ourselves space to get some good rest so that when we awaken tomorrow, we can get to the really hard work of pulling ourselves back together through education, accountability, and the very hard work of taking care of ourselves and each other.

Love, Ms. Herisme xoxo

ps I’m sure that none of this has anything to do with my dv marriage/divorce bwahhahahahahahahahaha lol trauma, trauma, trauma It will be lovely to not have to bear daily witness to the collective narcissistic abuse and all that carries with it. Gently, gently, brain and body…

Also, I wrote this early this morning, and have just watched the inauguration of President Joe Biden – watching the clock to turn 12:01pm before relaxing. Excellent speech, as expected, and whoa! the poet laureate! WHAT?!!? She was breathtakingly amazing! Amanda Gorman – wow!