Often we strike the high moral distance that separates “us” from “them.” — Gregory Boyle, Tattoos of the Heart.
Suzy and I belong to a group of diverse individuals who meet once a month to break bread and discuss mostly local issues that hopefully will lead to action in one form or the other. We have had many outside speakers come and talk about such issues as homelessness, spousal abuse, immigration, the racial divide in our community, status of our local public schools, the list could go on and on. Last week we turned our focus on “community” and our discussion was lively and informative.
Greg Boyle says, “… it is God’s dream come true when we recognize that there exists no daylight between us. Serving others is good. It is a start. But it is just the hallway that leads us to the Grand Ballroom.” Later he goes on to say it is not just about serving others, but being with the other.
Becoming one with others is a hard row to plow. Father Boyle, Mother Teresa, Gandhi, took that difficult step. We have many others in every community who take on that difficult challenge — to go beyond serving others to becoming one of them.
I am trying to remember when I was growing up someone in my community in their 60’s who was a community activist or change agent? Is it just me? I can think of numerous young people up to early 50ish folks who led/defined causes in Monroe but nobody comes to mind in their 60’s or 70’s.
Is that because of our unfulfilled legacy from growing up in the 1960’s or a lack of change agents among our children?
Thanks for stirring the brain cells.
Good questions. We get set in our ways and change is hard enough. Good thing to think and talk about. W.