Just over a week ago on November 5th, my world — and that of so many others, was suddenly turned upside down. In the span of a few hours, a sense of confusion, disbelief, disappointment and, yes, anger was knocking on my door. How could this be happening just north of the border in a country so proud of its democracy and heritage? What type of dystopic future might be on the horizon? And, for me living part time south of the border, what impact would this have on Mexican/American relations? Perhaps naively, I had thought that the US would follow in Mexico’s stead by electing a woman, Claudia Sheinbaum, who happens to be Jewish with a PhD. Elite and female.

Discovering in my San Miguel de Allende photo archives these two images of being run over and also weighed down resonated for me.

After a few days of inhabiting an unshakeable nightmare something shifted. Soon, for a photography project, I presented an image which brought a smile to people’s faces. This led to my realizing how just a little dose of the bizarre, quirky and humorous (at least for a gringo like me) might offer a touch of lightness in this moment.

Subjected to a doomsday Armageddon world view where the last battle between good and evil will be fought, I grappled with sharing this project. Might it raise an eyebrow or two? However, as my husband, David pointed out: “in these days of darkness, let us surround ourselves with light.” John Lennon’s 1971 song written during the Vietnam war: “Let it Be”, offered soothing words that continue to apply to the present.

“When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

…

And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree
There will be an answer, let it be
For though they may be parted, there is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be.”

The only issue is: we can’t simply “let it be”. Hopefully, though, a path ahead will present itself. And so from music, art and words a few images here may lighten the load at this moment.

From the recent Dia de los Muertos where death is acknowledged, perhaps even celebrated the Catrina, we have the elegantly dressed skeleton figure by the Mexican artist, José Guadelupe Posada. Its message: in death we are all equal, and earthly riches cannot be taken to the next world. I took these photos just before US elections. It’s hard to escape their element of the surreal.

With another holiday season around the corner, there will be more opportunities for opportunities to capture moments like these. Here is my taxi driver last year and, from way back, immense Christmas balls by old, abandoned telephones, (the photo I shared at the gallery). Let’s remember that invariably after the shortest and darkest solstice day of the year light awaits.

How ironic that my previous piece was called “Before the Fall”!