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We talked about disagreement last month. Looks like we're still in some disagreement here in the U.S. Except that you don't get to alter reality when it doesn't go your way.
Watching the results of the U.S. elections, and now the process of transition, with the attendant tantrums on the part of people who are supposed to be our leaders and representatives, makes me realize (for the nth time) just how tenuous real democracy is. How vulnerable real justice is. Not "laws" and the politicized interpretation thereof, but justice. Honor. Integrity. A simple but powerful thing called a fact. If it's this easy for a president to throw the electoral process into a tailspin, or even for the illusion thereof, we should all be deeply troubled, regardless of who we voted for.
"No one is above the law," supposedly. And yet we see examples every day that there is, in fact, a systemic double—or triple—standard in our society, and has been since the beginning. It runs through our economic, financial, real estate, entertainment, medical, educational, arts, sports, and many other sectors. Now, however, we are teetering on the verge of the threat of a coup d'état, the stuff that's only supposed to happen in "other countries."
Now that we've spent 4 years in vehement conflict, it's time to come together, sit down, get to know one another a little better.
It's easy to exclaim indignantly "How could you vote for [candidate X]." It's a lot harder to push the anger and self-righteousness aside, and listen to what the person has to say, and why they feel the way they do. The trouble is though, you can't have a conversation if only one of the participants is willing to engage. Both, or all, parties need to engage.
All those stories you've read in the media just prior to the election about families getting ripped apart? They're true. Someone in my personal sphere quietly shared his profound frustration about his own mother and brother supporting the incumbent, while he himself holds an opposing political viewpoint.
This is what happened in the Spanish Civil War as well as our own civil war. This is what has happened in numerous communities, nations, empires, throughout history. It's what happens before societies start to crumble. So now that we're looking into the abyss, let's take a firm step away from it.
After all, we have much bigger fish to fry.
~ Birgitte
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Two special announcements:
My Book-to-Bar bundle is back, just in time for the holidays! What's a "book-to-bar"? You've no doubt heard the phrase "bean to bar," which refers to a chocolate maker who is directly involved in every step of the chocolate-making process, from selecting and purchasing the cacao beans to making their chocolate inhouse.
Well, a "book-to-bar" bundle refers to a pairing of a book about chocolate, with a bar of craft chocolate. So you can read the chocolate story and enjoy the chocolate at the same time. Guaranteed you'll finish the bar before the book. :)
I coined the phrase shortly after publishing my novel about a mythical cacao tree and the quest of two kids to save it. It's called The Jaguar and the Cacao Tree, and I'm pairing it this year with a new line-up of amazing craft chocolates.
We also have copies of the Sacred Cookbook, a beautiful full-color cookbook with healing recipes from all over the world, that we're pairing with chocolates.
Get a Book-to-Bar bundle for someone you love!
Secondly...
After many long nights and weekends, we are delighted and proud to announce Aria Luna's new storefront is open!
Check it out here, or just tap the "STORE" link on her website any time.
Browse original paintings, fine art and Limited Edition prints, and sets of greeting cards, perfect for the holidays.
A special print I'd like to highlight is the Exodus Limited Edition fine print. Exodus is a work Aria Luna did last year to express the cruelty of separating families at our borders. It depicts two children running away from an abstract detention center, straight for another impossible choice: a cliff.
We're printing only 50 copies of this large size, so please support Aria's effort to help reunite these families, especially now around the holidays. All net proceeds from sales of these prints will immediately go to organizations with a proven track record of supporting and protecting the immigrant families.
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Last month, Aria Luna entered an Instagram art challenge organized by the International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP), part of the Earth Island Institute. The challenge was to paint orcas and help raise awareness about these extraordinary marine animals. We weren't expecting anything, because the winners were going to be decided by popular vote online, and we don't have a huge social footprint. But Aria Luna's orca painting, titled "Turning Tides," won first place in the youth category!
First place comes with two prizes... a tote bag and a metal water bottle from Klean Kanteen, which sponsored the art challenge. While it's certainly great to win prizes, Aria Luna doesn't need more things... so we thought of a way to pay it all forward in a big way to the orcas.
Aria Luna will paint the water bottle and the tote bag, and we'll sell both items, along with her original orca watercolor. 100% of the proceeds will go to the IMMP, so they can continue doing the great work that they do. They might be little known, but they've had an impact on numerous fronts. Stay tuned for more as this effort materializes!
Over to Aria Luna now:
Hello people and welcome to November's newsletter!
Not much has happened this month, although I am proud to say I won the Orca art challenge. I didn't expect to win it, but somehow I did. It was very honoring to participate in the contest and I want to give everyone else who participated a good pat on the shoulder because they did a great job.
It's also starting to get very cold here in California, with some cold wind and temperatures and even some rain. One time I saw tiny particles of snow!
Sorry, I know this time my note is very short but nothing else special happened :/ so uuhhh yeah...
Stay safe everyone and remember you aren't alone if you're feeling sad. A lot of people are going through the same thing as you.
~ Aria Luna
Mama's note: I of course beg to differ on the "nothing else special happened" ... see above!
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