When the System Sends the Bill to the Tenderhearted

Sanctuary Dispatch | Tuesday Reflections from the Wild Path

When the System Sends the Bill to the Tenderhearted

Let me tell you a story. Not one about theory or politics or big ideas. A real story. A human story. A story about what happens when greed wears the mask of leadership—and small business owners are the ones left to pay for it.

My friend just opened a shop. A dream come true. Handmade goods from local crafters. A space that reflects her heart, her effort, her everything.

To stage her beautiful shop, she placed a modest wholesale order from a UK supplier. $100 in goods. $30 shipping. She did her research. Checked for red flags. Everything looked fine.

Until UPS sent her a message: she owed over $400 in tariffs—before the package even arrived.

It turns out, some of the products she ordered were manufactured in China. And due to a recent surge in tariffs imposed by the U.S., a 145% duty was quietly tacked on—without warning, without grace.

She was blindsided.

And here’s where I need to say something clearly: I don’t believe this was “geopolitical strategy.” I believe this was business as usual for a man whose leadership style is profit-driven, ego-fed, and entirely disconnected from the lived experience of the people he claims to serve.

These aren’t policies made for the people. They are decisions made behind closed doors by men who will never feel their consequences.

But she did.

And so do countless others—small shop owners, artists, dreamers, parents, providers—trying to create something beautiful and meaningful in a world that seems to penalize sincerity and reward manipulation.

This isn’t just about one shop. It’s about how easily the system shifts its weight onto the backs of those who can least afford to carry it.

So here we are—once again—witnessing how economic decisions made in the name of "strength" often become quiet punishments for the tenderhearted.

But she’s still standing. And her shop is still open. And that matters.

If you’re near Newport, Vermont, stop into Creative Collective | The Witch’s Brew Gift Shoppe, located on Main Street. Support a woman who dared to build something real. Follow @thewitchesbrewvt and share her story. Because every time we show up for each other, we remind the world: There’s another way.

Footnote: The tariffs imposed on her shipment stemmed from trade policy changes under the Trump administration, which included a 145% tariff on Chinese imports. Though a temporary pause was later announced, it did not apply retroactively. China responded with its own 125% tariff on U.S. goods. These retaliatory moves created significant confusion and financial strain for small businesses caught in the middle.

Sanctuary Dispatch

Tuesday Reflections from the Wild Path | A soft rebellion for the soul

This is where spirit meets resistance. Each Tuesday, I share a dispatch from the edge of the old world—where systems are crumbling and something truer is rising. These pieces weave together politics, power, and personal truth from a deeply human, heart-centered lens. They are an offering of clarity in chaos. A reclamation of voice. A reminder that awakening is both inner and outer work.