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.