United for Sabbath Peace

The other day I posted an article on FB which was somewhat more pointed than those I usually post. So, yes, mea culpa. And I believed it. It was a harsh review of a man who had tweeted smack about a well known little girl. He played base ball for a local university and got lost his spot on the team as a result. The lovely little girl, wrote forgiving the player and asked that he be reinstated, saying she was sure he didn’t mean it. The University president, bless his heart, stood firm. Some people felt the president was mean. Many of us did not. This article spoke about why the guy deserved his penalty. He’s a grown up whose tweet unintended or not savaged this little girl. He’s not the point in this — she is. He created the problem. He’s not a victim.

What followed was a storm of incivility. It started out well. Someone posted and explained why they were happy to see the post. A person who must follow them, because he’s unknown to me, wrote to complain that this was an isolated incident of stupidity and hatred. And that it was time for people to get over complaining about racism and sexism. I disagreed. He called me names. (He didn’t particularly hurt my feelings, since it was a very childish reaction. He didn’t quite call me a poopoohead, but the response was at that level.)

The original responder took exception not only to his response but to his style of response and very civilly but pointedly addressed what he had to say. And so it escalated. Eventually, more civil responses pushed him to remove his posts.

This exemplar showed everything good and bad about social media. Too many people are not paying attention to what’s happening in the world and are willfully ignorant of the problems people face. Too many people think that one responds to things they disagree with by dismissing another’s opinion or name calling. But, some people are willing to look in the mirror at themselves and at society’s unwillingness to face its problems. And they speak up in sane and respectful language.

This is wonderfully reassuring. So on this Pink Moon Sabbath, let us call for a cessation of the petty interactions and a deepening of understanding of the divides that limit our movement forward as a society. Let us be present to what’s going on. Let us be Peace-makers and Community-builders. Peace needs us. And we could stand a sabbath break to reflect and relax. Hope your day is lovely…

Lines of Peace this Sugar Moon Sabbath

Today is the 50th Commemoration, I can’t say anniversary, like it’s a happy thing, of Bloody Sunday.

It was a day about lines. Lines to keep people in boxes that they weren’t going to accept any more. Lines that people in power were clear should never be crossed. Lines that at last, at last, the media finally decided to cross to show what was going on. Lines that kept a nation of people comfortably allowing them to keep thinking of themselves as good people.

We should know our lines. What are the lines we believe never should be crossed? What are the lines that keep us from being fully who we are. Lines both protect and prohibit… it’s an odd thing, isn’t it? We ahve to consier if we’re willing to do the hard work to stand on those lines, to step up to those lines and stand in solidarity alongside others who believe and those who are unwilling to see or wake up.

So, looking at my latitude and longitude helps me consider lines. I live at 40.9˚N and 79.8˚W… What other intersection I live in I’ll need to consider. And meanwhile the Sugar Moon shines sweetly down on all of us, doesn’t it?

If you haven’t read the President’s speech from the bridge yesterday, you might want to. You might want to look up your own latitude and longitude. You might want to think about where your Peace Lines are, which ones you’ll never cross and which ones are holding you back… A blessed and lovely Sabbath to you, my friends!

Recommitting to the Lunacy of Peace

We live in our isolated little bubbles. Stuff that happens outside our bubbles isn’t real. Stuff that happened a long time ago is hard to remember. There are wonderful things about our bubbles… I cherish my community of friends, colleagues and strangers…

But life isn’t like this for everyone. I spent the weekend immersed in a life outside. Friday night I listened to Peterson Toscano do a stand-up series of short skits on homosexuality and climate change. Saturday I saw Selma. Sunday I saw Dear White People. The whole was a strong wake-up call.

I know that life is not rosy for others, but I do like my cocoon… But if I live in my cocoon, I condemn others to a continued hell of invisibility. It’s an embracing of willful ignorance. It’s a rejection of a pretty large piece of the world.

And if I who knows better will do that, who is going to do the stepping up?

We’ve been told time and time again, Peace, Love and Understanding are lunacy. Dreaming? Lunacy. Possibilities? Lunacy.

But you know what hate, fear and greed are disgusting and hold us hostage in separated tribes. We’re more than that. We’re better than that.

And our world will not forever survive that worldview.

More is possible under the Sweet Sugar Moon. What would the Lunacy of Peace look like?

Sugar Moon Lunacy and Peace

Welcome to the Sugar Moon. Right now, it’s cold and the Moon is dark. All there, but all potential.

So many names for this Moon, so many metaphors, so much going on. This will be a Moon of bitter cold and surprising warmth. The sap will rise. It’s up to us if we choose to make sugar or not.

Making sugar from sap is a slow and arduous process. It’s dangerous because boiling sugar burns… But oh, the sweetness at the end! That’s well worth the investment of time and energy. People shake their heads and say it’s lunacy to do such a thing when you can just buy the finished product at the store…

But some things that also boil down very slowly to reveal their beauty cannot be bought in the store; they must be hand-crafted. So it is with Peace.

When the sap finally rises in Minnesota, my buddy Doug taps his trees and sits by a fire in his back yard. There he contemplates both the Peace of what is and what can be. Every year at this time, I think of this Peace activist, keeping tender vigil over his slow boiling pot. Doug probably sings, he often does. He probably thinks and pokes the fire with a stick a lot. His family members join him (although in my mind, the lovely Kim only does as much or as little cold weather fire sitting as she wants!). People drop by to pick his brain and enjoy his friendship (and probably beg for some syrup.)

They take away a message of discipline, dedication, and patience — because that’s what it takes to get to the essential sweetness. Pretty much what it takes to get to Peace, too…

Blessed be, my sweet friend Doug. Here’s to syrup and Peace which both make the world sweeter. Here’s to the lunacy of taking potential and boiling it down in to reality. Strength is required… enjoyment is your decision… and why wouldn’t laughter and joy be what you chose? Step up! Sit down! It’s a long, long prayer… participation required…

Peace in the Midst of Snow Moon?

Bah. Since I wrote yesterday about my thought that humans are now often the deep impediment to other people’s eating, I’ve been trying out the truth of that statement in my mouth.

Sadly, it tastes like truth. It sounds like truth.

I don’t know what it is about metaphor that allows me to see differently, but it does.

I’ve known underemployment and low wages are a major cause of food insecurity in this valley, but I’ve never understood it quite this clearly.

People need living wages. They need to be able to care for their children. Children need to eat if they’re going to be happy kids and productive adults. It all feels pretty straightforward to me…

If people in capitals are not going to change, we’re going to have to use our Peace shovels and make a difference. There’s a lot of snow. The more of us digging, the more who will join us, the more power and strength we add to the task. What if we were the avalanche rather than the greed and stupidity? What if we made Peace what people wanted to do? It can only happen if we step up and do the hard work. Let the politicians see what matters to us. In the meantime, let us feed the hungry. Let us sit shoulder to shoulder around the fire because we have invited people into our abundance. We can make it so.

Waiting in Peace, llvl

I have a lot to thank my parents, Sam and Betty, for. Some of it is very simple. They taught me to show up. (They tried to teach me to write notes and I confess, I’m far better at email that making sure I get my notes written.)

And because of their slow diminishment in old age, any terrors I might have had about the hospital were also overcome. (Someone once said, oh, horrible, you had to go to the hospital in the middle of the night by yourself. Oh, really at that point, piece of cake.) I had some rather wonderful late night giggles with both parents. And was glad to have a relief lambie at home to make mom comfortable. And thank goodness the nurses were really clear with Mommie-girl I should never bring her back.

But showing up. To say, “Look you have a baby how exciting!” “Oh, you’re feeling poorly, I brought some soup.” or “I’ll just watch while you sleep.” Or the really hard one: “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” And when you can’t get there physically, send a card. or a cheery email — because everything’s on line.

Those visits are made easier by the other visits, short and long, that we do over a beer or a cup of tea.

People matter so much to us, they make such a difference in our lives. It’s good to let them know. There’s a world of Peace in that. We might think of it as doing good, but we might just think of it as giving thanks… ‘Tis the season after all!

Your Piece of Peace, llvl

You do the work everywhere you can make a contribution, but, there are a lot of advantages to being involved in Peacemaking in your little vida local.

One big one is that you can get very clear what is needed if you’re partnered with the right people. Where do you get the intel you need? When you can get it from the source, that’s great. Our congo is supporting the school district back pack programs — but we’re really supporting the school district as they try and support their kids.

A short flurry of emails with the program director yesterday and we have our marching orders. The school nurse needs clothes and shoes for the kids. So, we can start working on this. We can buy them 6 bins and fill them up with pants, shirts and shoes for boys and girls in the requisite sizes. Because the children have no shoes. Somehow that’s the most painful statement I’ve ever had to make. The children have no shoes. And no clothes.

Pam thinks I’m enthusiastic. Well, yes. But I’m also realistic. These babies need this. And we can do it. So why wouldn’t we? Why wouldn’t I ask you? No reason whatsoever. What is your piece of Peace? If you’re not absolutely clear, the best way is to try something little and see if it makes your heart race. If so, do a little more. If not, try something else… You’ll get there. and in the meantime, you’ll do little bits of good wherever you are. And your community will be better for it. So will you. Peace, an addiction to cultivate. Step up into Possibility.

Eagle Peace, llvl

It has been a long journey for the eagles to come back to life in my little Valley. Careful breeding programs and reinstitution into this area. The rivers had to be cleaned up so that the fish they ate were life giving. And now fracking is threatening those rivers again.

But yesterday, Lady Eagle wasn’t concerned about that. She sat regally in the sunshine, casually accepting the startled cries of passersby that acknowledged her beauty.

Sometimes Nature just grabs your attention. Yesterday was one of those days. This beautiful shallow river ran clear over stones, the beginnings of fall’s colors occasionally drifting by. The air was clear and there wasn’t a cloud. Thank you!

And Sunday is the largest Climate March ever. Because all the hard-fought gains are at risk… and so much more. Time for us to step up and speak out for our beloved Mother Earth. Peace must be one with the ground we live on. And we’re needed to respond.

Ice Cream, Peace, No Peace, llvl

It could take a lot of ice cream with friends to fix what’s going on in our little world. I did have a magical moment out by the pumpkin patch with dear friends yesterday. No problems got solved but we breathed in beautiful air together and ate fresh peaches on top of our ice cream. Not a bad afternoon at all.

And when you look at the relentless ugliness going on in the world. My brother-in-law holds that it’s just that we’re looking at these things, and we have to hold that as a good thing. I’m not convinced.

Mostly I’m overwhelmed. My perky (shouldn’t that be spelled with an i with a heart over it) Pollyanna can do personality is having a whoa, sh•t moment. When you wake up, it’s hard to figure where the best place is to step up. Do gooders like me are feeling like we’re taking a class in some gym on life up down up down up down. switch feet. And while you’re doing that, speak out. Oh, no, step aerobics as prayer. (what is seen cannot be unseen.)

But, nonetheless, there is work to be done. Some fool on FB took Toni Morrison (Toni Morrison????) to task for worrying about racism and interrupting this woman’s feel good moment. She was confident that there was no racism and most people wanted to gently suggest… no, no gentle suggestions. respond. Now. The list is long, so we all have a lot of opportunities to say no to hatred and stupidity.

Eat some ice cream. You’ll need it. Because the journey is long and arduous. But we are exactly the right people to work for Peace, one little piece at a time. Together…

Sacred Village

Building a World of Peace, Village by Sacred Village.

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