Friday, Maria and I return to the streets of our town and some nearby towns to put up her “Show Your Soul” posters, an artist’s statement to the world about how to live in times of discord and anger and argument. Maria made a “Show Your Soul” quilt last week which she was reluctant to sell, but did.

This is her art, and she can explain better than me what it means. She is getting a flood of requests to purchase the posters – she will sell that at cost – and will deal with the posters when the returns from India in several weeks. She can’t deal with it now, she leaves for Kolkata on Sunday.

I am excited to be the driver and helper for this project. To me, the poster is the antithesis of rage and argument, or paranoia and hysteria and polarization. “Show Your Soul” to me means to live by example, not rage, to live your life with love and compassion, to support what you believe is good in your own individual way.

To this end, and at her own expense, Maria put her art out there and moved her feet. Real politics are not generally done in Facebook arguments, but out in the real and physical world.

That is what she is doing through her art, it is what I am doing through my writing, life and photography. For both of us, our politics are out lives, we live by example, not argument. This is what these beautiful posters – featuring one of Maria’s favorite goddesses – are about. You can follow this story on her blog. More tomorrow. We hit the other side of Main Street and beyond..