We laughed about Saturday Night Live skits and teared up at the thought of what it potentially could mean to Mother Earth to have a climate-change denier heading up the EPA.

In part of our conversation I said to him, "My life right now feels like the opening lines of the Dickens' novel, A Tale of Two Cities: It was the best of times. It was the worst of times..."

Every day I am full of gratitude for my family and friends, my art and my lifestyle. I am contented and at peace with myself most of the time. And, every day I wake up to more opportunities to feel angry, heartbroken and powerless.

But! I refuse to give in to that powerlessness. So I sign petitions, show up for protest marches (for the first time in my life), donate money and try to let my heart soften. Above all, I try to soften my heart. I tell myself that I can't see the full picture of why this is happening or where it will take us. 

All I can do, all any of us can really do, is to stay in the moment, take the action that feels right to each of us, and trust that all will be well. Very simple words; not always easy to do. 

Through all this I turn to art for my solace. It's my way of  soothing my soul and spirit. It's also my way of offering something to the world that is uniquely mine to give -- creating a gathering place for others to join together in community and make beauty, encouraging loving tangible expressions of our joy and grief.

Now more than ever we need ways to transform negative thoughts into hope and right action--and, equally important, beauty. Art can be an antidote.