The article reflects on a frigid morning at a Brooklyn post office, capturing the atmosphere of discontent and worry among patrons amid recent political turmoil. The author observes a diverse group of individuals visibly impacted by extraneous pressures, from societal threats to economic instability. Conversations and thoughts turn to collective grief, with an underlying question about how communities can cope with overwhelming challenges together. The post office becomes a microcosm of society grappling with fear and uncertainty, revealing a deeper emotional resonance beyond routine errands.
The mood at the post office felt much different from my last time there just a week before. After a week of extremist and unconstitutional executive orders that touched nearly every aspect of people's everyday lives, everyone, myself included, seemed to be holding on to so much more than their boxes, bills, and birthday cards.
Those around me represented a cross section of people from all different walks of life experiencing the same structural failures. We went to bed dreading the same threats to our trans friends and family and to our undocumented neighbors.
What are we going to do about all of this grief? I wondered. How do we move over the edge knowing that what we face is bigger than what any individual can handle alone?
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