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| The Mystery within... |
Two statements caught my attention recently. I’m not sure if I read or heard the first
one, “If you aren’t part of the solution, you are part of the problem.” And, the second is a quote from a German
forester, Peter Wohllenben’s book, “The Hidden Life of Trees.”
‘A chain is only as strong as its
weakest link.’ Trees could have come up with this old crafts-person’s
saying. And because they know this
intuitively, they do not hesitate to help each other out. Wohllenben writes of the amazing discovery he
made in how beech trees provide nourishment, protection and healing for one
another through their interconnected root systems. Their interconnections help other beech trees
growing in less desirable locations within the forest, and can even keep some trees
alive and regenerate new bark after they have been purposely girdled in
attempts to kill them. Wohllenben’s story of interconnectedness in a healthy
forest struck me as an apt metaphor for understanding the political crisis we
face in America and the world today. We
need to help each other through systems that distribute nourishment and healing
to those who need it in our human communities throughout our country and the
world. We need our moral voices raised to be part of
the solution.
From where we are planted we can know America is headed in
the wrong direction with a “me first” mentality, and can understand it will
ultimately weaken us all. Not all of us
can become legislators or lobbyists working for what needs to happen to
establish and keep systems in place to grow a healthier society. But we can seek out others who are on the
front lines working for justice and peace.
We can let our legislators know we want systems to protect and heal the
most vulnerable in our society. It’s about
caring for the welfare of others and letting our moral voice be heard.
There is an organization of honest and brave women resistors
who are on the front lines working for justice and peace for all, led by Sr.
Simone Campbell of Nun’s on the Bus fame. She is also a lawyer and lobbyist
advocating for Catholic social justice issues.
The one suggestion I would have for Sr. Simone is to lower the case in
catholic to make it more inviting and inclusive to people of all faiths, and
for those of us who no longer declare a religious affiliation, the other nones. My computer’s New Oxford American dictionary
defines catholic as: adjective, including a wide variety of
things, all-embracing: her tastes are
pretty catholic.
I highly recommend you poke around on Sr. Simone’s Network website. You will be amazed at the many
different ways we can have a part in furthering social justice in our country
and the world. Like Wohllenben’s birch
trees we can each contribute to a healthier society and world through our moral
voice. The dedicated women and men at
Network are eager to help you get your voice heard.
What if we got excited about being part of the solution by
letting our moral voice be heard more often?
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