LIVING FULL IN A
HALF-EMPTY WORLD
Yesterday I awakened slowly, did my usual morning meditations and a little journaling, then got sucked into the computer playing my two favorite solitaire games. Eventually I thought, enough is enough. I did a final check on emails and clicked on
one from Livingston County Indivisible—a
call for people to come to Howell at 2:30
that afternoon. For the second
time that week, Neo-Nazi pamphlets had been distributed—this time around the
library where the group Indivisible
was planning to meet. The two beautiful
and energetic women who lead the group asked that we come for a peaceful,
positive “March Against Fear”, expressing our support for the people of Howell and for
people of all races, colors, religions, orientations—all people who wish to
live in peace and work together to insure justice.
I was
planning on a quiet day, maybe taking a walk, writing a bit, reading. I wavered only a few minutes before I called
a neighbor and friend and we agreed to go to Howell. I found I could not not go. I’m 80 years old and life is slowing down—for
which I’m thankful. I no longer have the
energy or desire to get on the fast track of meetings, groups, constant
activity that has driven me for so long.
But the call was loud within my heart and soul. Our country is hurting, evil that has been
just under the surface has come out in the open in a way it hasn’t for a long
time. It is becoming normalized by news
media and politicians. Words and
activities that, in the past would have been the death knell for a politician,
are now minimized and accepted as “Locker room talk”, and “saying it like it
is”, and repeated over and over to sell newspapers, magazines, TV time. Some people shake their heads, turn off the
TV, and hide from the brutal truth by watching movies or sports to avoid the
uncomfortable reality of our country and the world as it is today.
Fortunately
in Livingston County, where I live, we have two young women who without much money,
with a lot of courage, hard work, and an unwavering faith in goodness, have
brought together people of all backgrounds to take action for peace and
justice. It is a group that is working
actively and growing daily, showing courage publicly in the light of day, standing
up to those who use the cover of darkness to spread words of hate.
Yesterday,
I found myself again in the midst of an energetic crowd of people marching in the
streets of Downtown Howell with signs that read, “Hate is not my Howell” and a
quote from MLK Jr that read:“Darkness
cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do
that.”
And another: “Our lives begin to end the day we become
silent about things that matter.”
This is definitely not how I
expected to spend the latter years of my life, but it has become necessary to
my heart and spirit and my belief that America Is Great and we cannot risk
losing that. Apathy can be deadly. If we are not part of the solution, we are
part of the problem. Throughout the
country I am reading and learning of individuals and small grassroots groups
mobilizing for justice. No matter who we
are there are things we can do. Therefore I march and write blogs and
letters. It is the least I can do. We can each join our voice with others. What we cannot do is stay silent.
