I did something very unusual this afternoon, as the school year for the kids ebbed into its final hours, and then its final minutes. I had a lot of prep to do for their special last day of school dinner (their fave, a chicken & broccoli & mushroom stir fry, which requires a lot of chopping).

I had watched, earlier in the day, the beginning of the historic sit-in for gun control legislation in the House of Representatives. I was stirred by John Lewis’ words, and I sensed this was some Grade A political theater.

When it came time to chop veggies I propped my laptop on the counter, and I kept watching. To say I have been disengaged from politics in this election year is an understatement. But I cannot stand by and watch mass murder after mass murder happen on my watch. Some of the speakers today stayed on message, some of them did not. A letter from Gabby Giffords, a victim of gun violence who has started her own organization, Americans for Responsible Solutions, was read on the House floor.

By the end of the day, I wasn’t sure where the sit-in might lead, and I’ve had to stop following it closely, in favor of family time. My heart hurts, my brain is fried. And I don’t want any more bullets sprayed into any more bodies.

Tonight, John Lurie posted a new image of one of his paintings on Facebook, and it just slayed me. Such a perfect encapsulation of the current mood. Such a perfect shade of blue.