Gains and Losses aka Life101 - Part.2

As the euphoria of Obama's victory and the country's awakening begins to settle, we witness another sign that indeed the road is steep.

We witness another sign that bigotry and ignorance still exist in a country that claims to be the greatest country in the world.

Proposition 8 was passed in California effectively restoring the ban on same-sex marriage.

C'mon America...SERIOUSLY?!

Don't you get that we're among the last of those still making this an issue?

Don't you get that we're still allowing religious zealots to manipulate the constitution?

Don't you get that if two men or two women get married your life WILL NOT CHANGE?

Why do some of us still cling to antiquated ideas stemming from misunderstanding?

Why do some of us resist change with every last fiber of our being?

Well as the election so vividly demonstrated, CHANGE IS COMING!

And it can't be stopped.

It might be stalled, postponed, resisted, refuted.

But it can't be stopped, and we're not going back.

During his Lyceum presentation Bishop John S. Spong (http://www.johnshelbyspong.com/) reminded us that once we have glimpsed the power of change we can never go back. We will not be taking the vote away from women; we will not be resegregating the south; we will not be enslaving another race of people. And there will coma a time, again, that will not withhold the rights of individuals because of their sexual orientation. It will become a non-issue.

Two steps forward and one step back is still forward motion.

I hardly dared to believe that I would see a black president in my lifetime.

I do believe we will see same-sex marriage legalized for good in my lifetime.

I believe love will conquer over hate.

I believe.

Gains and Losses aka Life101 - Part.1

The dream is realized, and as Obama reminded us in his inspiring acceptance speech, life goes on and the road ahead is steep.
I was sadly reminded of that by a jolting phone call that brought me back from my post-election-celebration high.
One of our closest family friends called to tell us her father had passed away after a long battle with lung cancer that developed from exposure to asbestos.
Dementia had begun to also take its toll and our friend was his full-time care-giver.
So although no surprise it was no less painful.

I'm writing this from the Lyceum at Unity Village.
Bishop John Shelby Spong reminded of the beautiful gift and responsibility and sometimes burden of being arguably the only conscious species on the planet.
As a result of this gift we spend our lives questioning.
We question our very existence; the meaning of it and our purpose.
We also question the end of it, and the after of it.

But in the moment of loss we can simply be with it.
In our culture we tend to rush our grief.
But true process can never be hastened.
We cannot rush wholeness.
Feeling loss and sadness and deep profound grief are important steps to wholeness.

So in the midst of this historic global moment I'm taking the time to feel my sadness for my friend and her loss.
How much time? As much as she needs.




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