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Peace on the Wind

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I’ve decided to worry less about my own requirements this year and focus a bit more on what the world needs. What we need is Peace. There are as many ways to build Peace as there are humans… and probably some exponentially larger number of possibilities from the way things grow when dreams intersect. If this is true, in any way, then everything that happens is a clarion call for Peace. The Earth provides her own… I love the Christmas Carol: I heard the bells… I think those bells ring all the time, but I believe they carry farther in that cold crisp air… Peace, do you hear the summons?

Frozen Words of Peace

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Having committed to a year of “prosing” about Peace… and having found a new structure, it’s interesting to see what images arise to fill that structure. I like the notion of our Peace dreams slowly building from concept to completion, using each month’s strong points to help us construct our dreams, our work and our world of Peace. So, starting with little crystalline Peace “seeds” that are short lived but visible witnesses to our beginnings captured my imagination.

 

Peace Be With You All Year

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Oh, my friends, Happy 2013. Or perhaps more correctly, let’s make this a happy 2013. It is up to us. We get to decide to be happy and we get to decide if we’re going to work for Peace. This year in my musings, I’m going to explore how what each of the months have to contribute to the process of Peace-making. It is time. It is the great work of our lives…

For each of us, it’s a different work and a different life, but the paths all head toward Peace. Yours and mine will meet and diverge… but with a great deal of will, there will be enough company along the journey to help us know how very lucky we are. Open your hearts and minds and dream deeply of Peace. Lots of happiness along the way!

My Once Favorite Brother

In honoring the UN’s International Day of the Girl, I wrote this second poem in response to Susan Daniel’s Poetry Blogpost. It struggles with the emotions a young mother would feel for a beloved brother who not only participates in but profits from the practice of child marriage. It is a system that must be eradicated. When our girls are safe from such predatory behavior, when our girls and women, both young and old, have the right to decide their futures, then our relationships with our brothers will be celebrated. Thank you for listening. Thank you for taking this issue into your heart and mind.

The Petals of My Daughter

The wonderful David Bauman (who today is reading at the Capitol Building in Harrisburg, PA, sent me a link to a post on Susan Daniels’ Poetry Blog inviting women poets to write a poem about child marriage or child brides in honor of the UN’s International Day of the Girl.

This was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on an agonizing subject. Some of you will know that the Elders, an international, interfaith group of Senior States Men and Women are working hard to eradicate this tribal custom where it flourishes in our world.

This is an issue of power, male dominance and tribal custom which masquerades as a religious issue. I have longed for a way and a place to speak to this, but I speak best through verse. With Dave’s urging, I wrote, we recorded and he posted to my wonderful new Youtube Channel. (more about that later!) Here is the first of two poems: This one’s entitled: The Petals of My Daughter. On this day dedicated to empowering the voices and actions of our daughters, let us work to make the world safe for them.

Peaceworking

If you’d have asked me about my greatest fears before running off to peace camp with ThinkPeace Workshop for Girls this summer, after I got past the actual camping part of it, I’d have had to say, I worried about how the girls would get along. I am happy to say that all my fears were ungrounded. (I was ungrounded, I got to sleep inside on a bed! whoopee! Imagine the delight of an Aging Indoor Priestess!)

But I’m here to report that Peace-working causes actual Peace to break out. I’m not saying there weren’t rocky moments and the girls weren’t girls, but they were kind girls. They were involved girls. They were caring girls. Maybe crossing out were, substituting are. They are adorable, strong, funny, smart, wonderful breaths of air and hopes for a new world. They are girls.

These lovely young women watched movies that broke their hearts and challenged their senses of what is fair. They participated in projects that acknowledge that the world is not easy or gentle but are designed to change that. They spent some time writing their ways out of own troubles and then envisioning ways to help World Girls move out of their own. They saw their privilege and looked for ways to leverage that. I’m not sure if they’re clear that’s what they were doing, but that’s what happened. And in their free time, they played, sometimes like the young women they were, sometimes like little girls, running in the back yard, playing in the pool. More friendship bracelets were made than anyone would have thought possible. (As a child of a child of the Depression, I was astounded by the supplies they ran through!) People’s fears were soothed.

And they spent most of the week in a puppy pile on the couch and floor in the Gathering Room. They solved problems together. They traded taking the lead. They included everyone and they worked to their strengths. They stepped up

They didn’t do this on their own. Peace doesn’t break out spontaneously. The week was carefully set up. Boundaries were set. A covenant was drawn, agreed to and pretty much followed. And that week, girls made a difference. In their own lives. In the lives of their companions. In their Leaders’ hearts. And maybe, just maybe, in the way the future grows.

That’s a pretty good outcome from a week of gathered girls. Sing Ho! for the Peace of a Girl.

 

ThinkPeaceWorkshop

The Priestess went to camp this summer. It was extraordinary. I’ve been putting off writing about it as I wanted to get it “just right.” But then I realized, I could write a lot of blogs about camp. ThinkPeaceWorkshop for Girls is the brainchild of Kelly HImsl Arthur and Liz Overheul Curry. Two moms with girls, thinking about Peace. Two moms wanting to raise a new generation of Peace Warriors.

I found TPW on twitter and followed. We followed a traditional cyber-courtship model… follow, like, post, invite, engage! And before you know it Kelly and I and then Liz and I were in FB heaven. And then we emailed. and now? now we’re friends!

They’re doing such wonderful work, offering girls the opportunity to think beyond middle school and senior high activities. These girls are thinking about Peace. They’re thinking about girls and the challenges they face in other countries. They’re thinking about (and doing about) becoming part of the solution rather than one more nonchalant part of the problem.

If you’ve been following my posts, you know that I don’t approach living close to nature with anything other than trepidation… so, I surprised myself when I asked: “Can I come?”

But Kelly said yes, and off I went (and I got my nature in small doses!), and it was extraordinary. Four adults, two young women and 16 girls. Writing, Stretching, Listening, Cooking, Learning, Goofing Off, Getting Serious. Peace begins with a girl. and girls began to envision that they might be that Peace-Beginning Girl, each and every one.

Can’t do it justice in one post. More to follow. Speaking of following… you can find them on FB and become a fan of sweet young girls becoming sweet Peacemakers!

Hats off to Kelly and Liz! Get to know them. And then get busy making Peace as only you can make it.

You Are So Welcome Here

My friends,

I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time. I’ve been agitating about how I might make a difference in the bullying epidemic in our country. Every year 13 million kids are bullied. That means that at least that many children are bullying, probably more. In my little bucolic valley, in the last 2 years, 5 children have committed suicide because of bullying. What we don’t understand is that it’s not only the bullied who commit suicide, the bullies do as well. They are also severely damaged by their part in the violent play. We need to find a way to make this violence stop.

Too many of us can look back at our past and identify a time or place where we were far less kind than we might have been. We may even have been actively unkind, even threatening. As kids, we might have been confused about how to get out of the cycle. As adults, if we’re willing to examine what we did, we’re ashamed. But shame doesn’t help today’s youngsters.

So I decided that I would make a video and identify myself as a concerned adult, living in Northumberland, PA who was willing to talk to our children and their families, their friends, and even their harassers. I may not be able to help you myself. But I can help you find support. This video is not only a declaration of my willingness to help but also an invitation to you to consider whether or not you might not want to declare yourself a supportive adult.

I know that I am very lucky because I work in a denomination and a congregation where I can step forward. Because I can, I must. Not every clergy can make such a video without jeopardizing her or his job. But there are plenty of us, willing to help who can do this.

I’d like to create a network of folk criss-crossing the country who will step up and volunteer their support to these vulnerable kids. My video is longer than it needs to be. I used a professional videographer. Your video can be a 30-second video that says who you are, what you do and where you’re located. I’d like you to post it to the Sacred Village FaceBook page. When we start building some movement, my web-gang and I will figure out what comes next.

I hope you’ll also tell people about this post. I hope you’ll like the video and send it to friends with the same request. I hope you’ll tell your friends on FB both about the video and the campaign.

You and I are a powerful force — either for inertia or for the good. Help me make a difference. Our kids deserve it. We deserve the kids that will grow up free from such bullying. Can my little video make a difference? Can yours? We won’t know until we try. Won’t you stand with me, open your arms and tell the children how welcome they are to talk to you?

You Are So Welcome Here – Long Video

In the meantime, here are some resources to offer to both children and adults who are looking for support. And of course, don’t forget about the new social services resource, 2011.

GLSEN: Gay & Lesbian Educators Network homepage.  http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/home/index.html

Kaiser Family Foundation, Children Now, Nickelodeon (2001). Talking with kids about tough issues: A national survey of parents and kids.  Available from http://www.childrennow.org/index.php/learn/talking_with_kids/

PFLAG: Parents & Friends of Lesbians & Gays homepage.  Available from http://community.pflag.org/Page.aspx?pid=194&srcid=-2

Skiba, R. & Fontanini, A. (2000) Bullying Prevention: What works in preventing school violence. Available from: http://www.indiana.edu/~safeschl/

“Stop Bullying Now” (2010). Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) Available at http://stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov

The Trevor Project: Preventing GLBTQ Suicide: www.thetrevorproject.org/

PeaceSister?

Once, when talking to Kelly Himsl Arthur from Think Peace Worshops for (wonderful, wonderful) Girls (and when are you writing that article, Ann?) she used the word Peace Sister.

Yesterday, in my first sermon back from vacation, I talked about how startling that phrase was and how different it felt from Peace Maker. If you are a Peace Maker you start with the assumption that there is no Peace.

But if you are a Peace Sister, your work is nurturance rather than creation. Your job is to love, protect, play with, encourage, teach, learn from. It’s a title that’s rich with possibilities and rife with hard work. It’s a title and a mantle one can’t assume, unless I’m also willing to assume the responsibilities for My Sister Peace, My Brother Peace.

So… what do I think: Ann Keeler Evans, Peace Sister. what do you think? How’s it look? it feels pretty interesting. Why don’t you try it on? Your name, Peace Brother. Your name, Peace Sister. I must say, it looks good on you. You encourage me to try. And always, always, always, Kelly encourages me to be more and better. How great a friend is that?

Widening and Narrowing Circles

This summer I was off to Peace Camp: ThinkPeace Workshops for Girls. It was astonishing. and I still haven’t distilled everything into a drink I can share. So many wonderful ideas. So many wonderful Girls! And Women! And such wonderful Work. yah. more later! Heaven on a stick for a Peace Sister. (Yes, there’s pondering about Peace Camp for Women!)

But what’s caught at my heart today is the notion of how your circles both enlarge and focus when you begin to look in a different direction. It’s been about a year that Sacred Village has been a public entity rather than a closely shared dream. Goodness knows, thanks to my beloved Web Guy, I’ve owned Sacred Village for years. (Dreams deferred can be just that! And sometimes dreams take a while to take substance. Don’t give up!)

As part of my attempt to put myself out there, I did what you’re supposed to do. I got a twitter account. I started friending people. I started posting. An early lucky follow was Kelly at ThinkPeace. Almost immediately “We Belonged to a Mut-u-allll Admiration Society.” Love, love, love, that woman her partner Liz and their work! I watched in amazement the work The girls and they were doing. I wrote a poem to support their work in Million Bones Project. Eventually, I held my breath and sent my plea… “Can I come to camp?” Yes! Delight ensued.

So off I went. Wow! And there as the teacher of the week was (drum roll, please) the fabulous and lovely Jeanne Demers author of The Ruby Books.

She works with Girls to help them find their Voices. We all started stories. (Yo, TP Girls anyone finish yours?) She’s a beautiful wonderful soul! (funny too!). At the end of the week, the girls started working at their World Girls, doing their research and building connections to girls a world away.

Now Jeanne has moved to Austin (cause that’s how hip she is!) and she’s gotten a job with the Girls Empowerment Network in Austin (GENaustin). She’s going to be wandering into school after school starting clubGEN. Girls will be speaking out all over Austin. The Girls of Austin couldn’t have a better gift. Girls! Leadership! Peace! Empowering and putting to words the connections between those things. What a wonderful, wonderful thing!

I can’t wait until the next time our paths cross. Because now that they have, you know they will again. Sing Hey! for a wonderful new friend and a woman doing her Work! My dear friends, meet a dear friend: Jeanne Demers (Cool Aunt, Great Woman).