We talked before about what makes a helper; there are so many actions one can take to effect change. What matters most is that we take the time to decide what our values are, what they look like in the everyday world, and then use whatever gifts or skills we are able to realize those goals. As the kind and loving souls I know this community to be, I am certain that we also understand that each action has a reaction, and should therefore be taken with respect for our fellow brothers and sisters. In turn, we must listen. Listen to those with whom you disagree. Listen to those whose voices have long been suppressed. Listen to your heart. Listen with compassion. Then, with open eyes, and informed empathy, act. Let us care for one another, and for our future. "Be kind, but be fierce."
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Being a helper is not an innate skill. We become helpers when our hearts hear the call or see the struggle - when our soul recognizes another in need. Helpers take action. In a disaster, split-second decisions can define heroes. In a bigger picture, however, the greatest outcomes usually arise from identifying your gifts, embracing their worth, and then daring to use them for others. It never has to be perfect. It might be scary. It always matters. 'So many caring people in this world' - a great comfort, and also a call for action. Finding peace in quiet.
When we finally allow our bodies to rest, and stop actively pushing away our fears, doubts, and insecurities, the silence can be quickly overtaken by the negative. The truth comes to us in the silence. In the quiet moments, our mind tells us our truths, for better or worse, and often speaks in a frenzied and chaotic manner than can keep us awake, tossing and turning, and wishing for sleep! At times our truths are disguised, or completed obscured by a protective lie we tell ourselves. The nagging thoughts might be about a particular bill, a misspoken word in an important presentation, or making a hair appointment to cover my roots. But, what really underlies these seemingly small nagging thoughts. Might the mistake at work really be about feeling undervalued in your job? Could the all-important hair appointment really be using your external appearance to avoid sharing something more personal? If we can read between the lines of these nagging thoughts, and see the root of the chatter, the opportunity exists to finally transform that chaos from a list of to-do's into a look at our "big picture". When you can really see the root, you can acknowledge it's presence, and either take a few moments to really reflect on the issue at hand, or at the very least, tell your mind "I hear you". The act of acknowledging the root cause and promising to address it it not only a step towards real growth, but often the key to finding some peace in quiet. We tend to think that once everything is in order, we will have order and finally get some peace and quiet. The reality is that if we can find the peace in quiet, that will bring order. Good Bones, written by the incredibly talented Maggie Smith, speaks to and for so many who are struggling to find words. While speaking to her alumni magazine, Smith noted “This poem feels less like mine than any other poem I’ve written. It belongs to others. I live in this nest in Ohio and my poem is flying to people and places I will never see. It has a bigger job to do.” Wrapped in humility, Maggie reminds us that there is always a job to do. Our job, my lovelies, is to find the connections in others which comfort, embrace, and encourage us, but also-and maybe more importantly-to find the connections which challenge, unsettle, and grow us. Not only is this a necessity for community, but in it there is also immense possibility. If this journey towards healing from trauma has taught me anything, it has taught me that we must face what is uncomfortable to find our power, our truths, and our opportunities for tremendous growth. we must face what is uncomfortable to find our power, our truths, and our opportunities for tremendous growth. You can make this world beautiful by being you, and doing the hard work. We can make this world beautiful, together.
This morning, our country is divided by a chasm filled with confusion, sadness,
disappointment, anger, and fear. Half of our brothers and sisters feel a significant loss. My hope for this page is to keep a unified focus on the ways we are brought together. There are plenty of other platforms to express an opinion about particular candidates or political parties, so I am not going to do that here. With that in mind, I feel the need to say a few things: My heart hurts for the division from which our country will need to heal. My heart hurts for those who see this election as an endorsement of the notion that the value of a person varies based upon the color of their skin, the language they speak, or the people whom they love. Today, especially, I will focus on the light I see in others. My friends, in the wee hours of this day, I want to say one thing with absolute clarity: To my brothers and sisters who are immigrants, who wear hijab or carry the Quran, who are within the LGBTQ community, who are disabled, or any other one among us who felt the sting of hatred or distress when rights are threatened. I see you. WE see you. You are not alone on this day, and you are not forgotten. Love is a powerful tool, and it is a force that will help us stand together. Indeed, we belong to each other, and in the time to come we will find ways to heal. Love always survives, and in the darkness of this night I cannot tell you how, but somehow love will do more than just survive, love will thrive. |
AuthorWho is Melanie? Archives
November 2016
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