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Mom’s Love Marches On

Words of Wisdom I had the privilege of living and working with Mother Teresa and her community in Calcutta, India. My mother recently passed. There is nothing more powerful than the love of a mother for her child. Mom and Mother Teresa loved more in deed than word. Mom and Mother Teresa did small things with great love. Their love continues. Their love marches on. Their love beckons us to march on in love. Silence Use these words to enter into silent reflection. You may also want to reflect in writing in a journal. Mom shared with me Rumi’s words by way of invitation to move beyond judgment, to see that we need each other. We belong to each other, and as we look deeply and understand we are one, “even the phrase ‘each other’ doesn’t make any sense.” Story As a young child, I was terrified. How am I going to get to school? I’ll never find the way; and if I do, how will I find my way home? I was five years old, excited but anxious about starting kindergarten. I would wake up with nightmares about getting lost on the walk to and from school. It was only 6 blocks or so from our house, but with two turns, it seemed daunting. Mom walked me to school that first day, and met me after school to walk me home. The second day, she walked me 5 of the six blocks and said she’d meet me in the same place after school. The third day it was two blocks and one turn around the corner away. The fourth day, four blocks. The fifth day, the end of the first week, five blocks, two turns. The second week I proudly told mom that I could walk to school on my own and no longer needed her help. It was only years later that I realized what mom had been doing – what she was modeling for me, teaching me – it had something to do with courage, care, and most of all, faith. She was teaching me to trust. Dr. King put it this way, “Faith is taking the first step when you can’t see the whole staircase.” Song I joined Alicia Keys at the Women’s March in Washington in solidarity with millions of others who marched globally to lift up love, respect, and dignity, especially for those on the margins. My mom’s love was present there; it led and inspired me there. Mom’s love marches on. I can’t keep quiet. Feet on the ground. Not backin’ down. We rise. Eyes on the prize. Love marches on. Mom’s love marches on.

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2017

Make 2017 Constructive

Words of Wisdom – Creating Your Constructive Program Joanne Sheehan, in Gandhi’s Three Elements of Nonviolent Social Transformation, shares, “We are quick to identify and protest the things we don’t like in our society, but we are often asked ‘so what are you for?’ As revolutionaries we need to start building a new society in the shell of the old. Gandhi said we should not wait for one to crumble before starting the other. Constructive program brings people together to do the kind of community work that is empowering, bringing them to a point of self reliance and being ready to develop a new society.” (Click image for Gandhi’s text) Silence Listen deeply to the stillness in your soul. What sacred word, sound or phrase speaks to you? Perhaps a line from a sacred text, a favorite poem, an Om, Shanti, or song lyric. Whatever it is, make it your mantra. Repeat it in silence. Allow it to speak to you. Allow it to inspire the creation of your own constructive program. Story On Being’s Krista Tippett interviews Vincent Harding – Is America Possible? The late civil rights leader and speechwriter for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., reflects on lessons from the civil rights era that can be applied today in the creating of a contemporary constructive program. “To develop the best humanity, the best spirit, the best community, there needs to be discipline, practices of exploring… How do we talk together in ways that will open up our best capacities and our best gifts?” (Click image to listen) Song I invite you to listen to Stand Up by Sugarland. As we create our constructive program, we stand up and use our voice, we stand up for the voiceless, and we invite others to stand up and use their voice. Make 2017 Constructive – Stand up and Create Your Constructive Program.

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