I subscribe to a daily meditation through a project called Inward/Outward. It’s nothing more than a short quote each day. This morning’s quote was from Anne LeClaire from her writing Listening Below the Noise. It said, “The trouble is, not knowing what to say, too often we say something anyway.”
There is good wisdom in these words. There’s humility, even humor. There’s a part of me that is speechless in the face of what we’ve been bombarded with over the last months, with last night, early this morning, as a massive, silencing, exclamation point.
“The trouble is, not knowing what to say, too often we say something anyway.”
Today I’m living between the counsel of these words, and a sense of responsibility to not be silent. There is much that needs said. There are voices we need to be listening to and joining in solidarity with.
If you need today to be a day of silence without the noise of commentary and social media, then please give yourself full permission to care for your heart and your mind. Do your job well, smile at your colleagues, go home when you’re done, and eat some good food. Retreat, get and give lots of hugs, do something that feeds your soul. Take deep breaths and feel your feet planting firmly on the rich soil. Take a nap. Go for a walk and enjoy the beautiful fall colors.
If some of you feel the need today to be in public solidarity with those who are suddenly feeling an escalated sense of fear and vulnerability, there is an event planned you can attend.
At 4:30pm this afternoon at the statehouse there is a gathering of immigrants and refugees and those who wish to be in solidarity with them. We’ll hear their voices. They will be calling on Governor Kasich to stand with Ohio immigrants and refugees, but it’s also a chance for faith communities to express our commitment to standing with Ohio immigrants and refugees.
HERE is the Facebook event page that gives some more info.
Take good care of yourself and loved ones these days. And if you can make it this afternoon, I’ll see you there.
Joel
