Some days,the news of the world makes it so difficult to find reassuring words to share. Our theme for February is RESILIENCE and I so badly want to model that for others and yet I find my heart aching for those in Minnesota, an ache so deep that I have a hard time expressing my feelings over the violence and inhumanity. I am angry, and I know you are too. I have felt helpless, and I know you have too. I feel beaten down by a barrage of never ending violent acts and hate-filled speech, and I know you do too. Resilience. Where do we find the strength to get up each day and look for hope and solutions in a world gone so sideways, a world that doesn’t look anything like our principles and values? Where do we look for Justice, Equity, Transformation, Pluralism, Interdependence, and Generosity?
I know we aren’t born with the resilience we need to bring these principles into a worldly reality, but it’s a learnable skill we can cultivate and model for others. I heard a new term recently–soft courage. In harsh times, choosing kindness and empathy is a form of bravery, often referred to as “soft courage” and we can do this as an outward symbol of our power to create change. Remaining gently human in inhumane times requires holding onto an ethical code, avoiding the tendency to mirror the brutality or cruelty of the environment and reminds us that personal resilience is connected to community resilience; by strengthening oneself, individuals can better support others, creating a ripple effect that fosters a more compassionate society.
I hope you will consider this as you join us in our ICE CALL BLITZ on Friday, February 13 from 11am to 12pm. This is just one way (a very important way) to provide support to our greater human community during this time of crisis and it offers up a way for us to engage in an activity that allows us to maintain a sense of control while we live our values out loud.
I am going to use my time slot to practice soft courage and begin building resilience so that I will be ready to support others as we learn that resilience is not toughness, but gentleness that refuses to give up.
Go gently with yourself during these difficult times.
Peace,
Lori