Sunday Musings – May 6, 2018
It is a rainy Sunday here in Wheeling, WV. I am feeling filled up emotionally and spiritually after being thoroughly spoiled on my birthday yesterday. All week I have been acutely aware of the fact that I have more blessings than many others. It is not only that I have a safe, pleasant home, a safe car, plenty of food and such middle-class luxuries as my very own washer and dryer and other material possessions which make my life comfortable, I am surrounded with loving people. In fact, yesterday I was feeling as if I have more than my share of love. I know that there are many who are not able to experience love or who illnesses has cut them off from others and even from themselves. I am also particularly mindful of the homeless here in this geographical area and all the refugees fleeing violence, some of who are waiting to see if the officials of this country – those who represent us – will allow them to enter this country. I cannot imagine what it must be like for them and their children. There are millions of such people in many parts of the world.
Earlier I was reading the edition of Brain Pickings by Maria Popova which appeared in my email box today. If the reader of this blog gets as many newsletters as I do, it is often difficult to know when ones to read. One cannot read all which arrive via email and the other mail systems. There are also the many books which challenge one as well as documentaries and other films which are a “must see” if one wants more than sound bites on a particular subject. Yet, of all those I receive, in addition to the weekly blog by my friend Dr. Becky Johnen, I pay particular attention to the edition of Brain Pickings. In today’s edition, she invites a host of people such as Baldwin, Camus, Emerson and others to remind us that creativity is power and powerful; that merely being negative and critical is not helpful. Her invited guests challenge one to think of the role of the artist in society.
I would maintain that we are all artists whether our creation is a moment of love which arrives in the form of a painting, a sculpture, words, a meal or a moment of loving presence. Perhaps it is more accurate to say that we are all potential artists who have the opportunity to challenge ourselves to offer a positive alternative.
I am always confused by those who proclaim that they are not political. I suppose that this is partly because of my age and having lived through the time in the 60ies and 70ies when many feminists were reminding us that the personal is political. Although Carol Hanisch wrote an essay by the title she claimed not to be the person who first used that phrase. Currently the Me Too moment, the Black Lives Matter movement and all those who proclaim that we have the power to create the society which we deserve reminds us that there is nothing magical about political or the body politic. We can certainly choose to allow the body politic to be run by a select group of people or we can claim the power to create a more just and loving society. Many local communities are determined to create a more respectful and healthy relationship with the environment; to explore such alternatives as restorative justice; to suggest ways we can take collective responsibility for innovative health care alternatives and much more. At the local level, we can elect those to city councils and school boards who will create public education which serve a very diverse community. We can create time and places to listen to and take care of each other.
This week I will challenge myself to be positive and creative. I will gently redirect myself if I get sucked into being negative instead of working for positive alternatives. This week I will be mindful of the luxuries which allow me the time and energy to be mindful.
Written May 6, 2018
It is a rainy Sunday here in Wheeling, WV. I am feeling filled up emotionally and spiritually after being thoroughly spoiled on my birthday yesterday. All week I have been acutely aware of the fact that I have more blessings than many others. It is not only that I have a safe, pleasant home, a safe car, plenty of food and such middle-class luxuries as my very own washer and dryer and other material possessions which make my life comfortable, I am surrounded with loving people. In fact, yesterday I was feeling as if I have more than my share of love. I know that there are many who are not able to experience love or who illnesses has cut them off from others and even from themselves. I am also particularly mindful of the homeless here in this geographical area and all the refugees fleeing violence, some of who are waiting to see if the officials of this country – those who represent us – will allow them to enter this country. I cannot imagine what it must be like for them and their children. There are millions of such people in many parts of the world.
Earlier I was reading the edition of Brain Pickings by Maria Popova which appeared in my email box today. If the reader of this blog gets as many newsletters as I do, it is often difficult to know when ones to read. One cannot read all which arrive via email and the other mail systems. There are also the many books which challenge one as well as documentaries and other films which are a “must see” if one wants more than sound bites on a particular subject. Yet, of all those I receive, in addition to the weekly blog by my friend Dr. Becky Johnen, I pay particular attention to the edition of Brain Pickings. In today’s edition, she invites a host of people such as Baldwin, Camus, Emerson and others to remind us that creativity is power and powerful; that merely being negative and critical is not helpful. Her invited guests challenge one to think of the role of the artist in society.
I would maintain that we are all artists whether our creation is a moment of love which arrives in the form of a painting, a sculpture, words, a meal or a moment of loving presence. Perhaps it is more accurate to say that we are all potential artists who have the opportunity to challenge ourselves to offer a positive alternative.
I am always confused by those who proclaim that they are not political. I suppose that this is partly because of my age and having lived through the time in the 60ies and 70ies when many feminists were reminding us that the personal is political. Although Carol Hanisch wrote an essay by the title she claimed not to be the person who first used that phrase. Currently the Me Too moment, the Black Lives Matter movement and all those who proclaim that we have the power to create the society which we deserve reminds us that there is nothing magical about political or the body politic. We can certainly choose to allow the body politic to be run by a select group of people or we can claim the power to create a more just and loving society. Many local communities are determined to create a more respectful and healthy relationship with the environment; to explore such alternatives as restorative justice; to suggest ways we can take collective responsibility for innovative health care alternatives and much more. At the local level, we can elect those to city councils and school boards who will create public education which serve a very diverse community. We can create time and places to listen to and take care of each other.
This week I will challenge myself to be positive and creative. I will gently redirect myself if I get sucked into being negative instead of working for positive alternatives. This week I will be mindful of the luxuries which allow me the time and energy to be mindful.
Written May 6, 2018
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