how to face the horrors of now
feel, then do
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ICE shot another human being– only injuring him, as far as I've heard, please God, but that's just luck, and doesn't make any of this acceptable.
So all the more –
During these times of terror and fury–
as we see once again what happens when authoritarian governments try to suppress justified dissent–
as we remember the bravery demanded in showing up for freedom and one another–
Sometimes we need to access places bigger than nihilistic soundbites.
Even as so much of what's happening right now is devastation, heartbreak, rage– or because of it.
We must all have ways to hold that devastation and fury. A minute here. A minute there. Oh, there's half an hour, good.
(Also, please nourish yourself.)
If we don't make space for those emotions, they'll take charge in unhelpful ways. More to the point: once we release some feelings, we may have more capacity for useful action.
Because we must take action.
This is not debatable.
But we must have capacity.
Write the words you need, paint them, whisper them to the clouds, weep them into the snow or leave them at the gym punching bag, but be clear about what you're doing.
Release something from your heart, lifted.
Take a deep breath, now, though.
Notice all the layers of emotion you might be having about this–
the terror, rage, despair, helplessness, anguish, hope, heartbreak, and/or something else.
Just notice?
The great lie that we're separate from each other – that hate is logical, that stealing human beings or hurling bullets makes sense – is related to the lie that we're separate from the Earth and all things.
However you do it, find a way to lift something up from your heart today.
May each being on this planet be safe.
May everyone be protected from harm.
From the theft of human bodies and lives,
the suppression of freedom
From persecution,
famine,
terror.
May evildoers lose power and experience justice.
“May sins cease from the land” (Psalms 104:35)*
May those who cause great harm spend their lives in repentance, repair, atonement and healing.
May we bring into being–
through shared work
solidarity
and the sum of our actions and choices–
an era of collective liberation.
May everyone have what they need to flourish.
May every person receive dignity and care.
"There is the sea, vast and wide,
with its creatures beyond number,
living things, small and great." (Psalm 104:25)
May we each be a drop in the ocean.
May we, together, become the wave.
*In the Talmud (Brachot 10a) Rabbi Meir's Torah-teaching wife Brurya reminds him that he shouldn't pray for his tormentors to die, but to become better human beings-- eg, obviously, he's interpreting Psalms wrong. (Story at link.)Share this post
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DO SOMETHING NOW
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