Today I felt led to share this with you. I write a report for our Quaker Quill every three months. I was led to share this one with you. Also, in my blog commentary, if you go up to the left, under my name and picture(?) you click and read books reports, tarot readings, my poetry is in the blog yet.
The Labyrinth at Hopewell lies under deep snowdrifts waiting for spring so we can walk on it and remember the wonderful events of this year. In this walk we must hold in the Light the horrible events of this past year. We are with everyone holding the city of Tucson in the Light. We hold the grief of those lost and the joy of those who were wounded and are now healing. We remember those who were ordinary folks who showed such courage and bravery that saved lives. We rejoice in the population of that city coming together to love, support and care for one another.
To me it is a lesson in the power of the words. My five- year- old granddaughter is an attender at Hopewell. She is in First Day School. She attends Friends Memorial pre-school in Muncie, IN, where she is a collector of words. She carries a pencil and paper everywhere she goes. She asks your name and how to spell it. Then she puts it her list.
Once she asked my 35-year-old grandson his name. He told her Mike, which she already knew. She took her pen and paper and said, your must spell it for me. That is important.” So he spelled MUD. Which she wrote down carefully. Then she took it to school as she did everyday with her list of names and words to give to the teachers.
They gently explained that she had Mud instead of Mike. She was devastated.
She came home from school in tears and furious. “Words are important. They mean something. They all have a meaning. Each one. Names are important because they are words and tell who you are and what you are. This is all wrong, he is not mud. Words are important. You must use the right one. Not a wrong or bad one.”
This discussion went on a while. My point being; even she knows that words can hurt, describe, and fan flames that cause pain.
Quakers center of belief is a peaceful settlement of issues. We are taught to use words of comfort, peace and positive inflection.
This past election surpassed all reason and civility. I believe enough negative and hateful words can hurt, wound and fester in some people’s minds. I do not think our countrymen and women can think these inflamed words or speak them aloud if they believe, as we believe, that we are part of God and see God in everyone. I am not clear how we can implement this to the political world. Therefore, I believe we should make it a ministry to hold all people in the Light to find some peace within themselves to disagree with a sense of Peace, Justice, Civility and Honor.
Our Meeting suffers through cold and snowy rides, keeping the furnace running, and the pipes from freezing. Peace descends on us as we gather in the Silence and wait for the Messages we need.
Our Christmas Project was to buy Christmas presents for a family that is near and dear to us. One of the members attends our Meeting. The Meeting had fun buying toys and wrapping them. Getting the right sizes. There was so much laughter as we did this. There is so much joy in giving that I think we sometimes forget that the giver of gifts receives the greatest blessing.
Now, more than ever, we hold all of those people who work, pray, are wounded and sometimes die to bring peace to others. Our hope and prayers are with them and all of us who try. May the Spirit Bless and may she/he bring spring as fast as possible.
Labels: Words have meaning
