What Do I Want to Stand For?
Our world right now makes me want to cry. Sometimes it’s happy tears, feeling overwhelmed by the generosity and love exhibited by people in the ways they are helping strangers. Adults sharing their stimulus checks with those in need. Children sewing masks in their spare time to raise money for charity. People doing amazing things like John Krasinski (of The Office and Jack Ryan fame) hosting a super cool prom and graduation ceremony as part of his “Some Good News (SGN)” YouTube show. And there’s so much more. If you need to be uplifted, take a look at https://www.karunavirus.org/
And then, there are the sad tears. I don’t need to go into the heartbreaking news – it’s everywhere and you know what it is. Things that make me say, “I KNOW we are better than this”. And we absolutely ARE.
A wise woman and friend of mine, Katherine Trusky, recently said, “Silence is agreement.” This statement resonated deeply with me. Until I started this blog, I’ve been largely silent and in this world, as Katherine said, Silence IS Agreement. It took me back to a conversation with a spiritual teacher I mentioned in an earlier post. My teacher asked me what my North Star was, what I wanted to stand for in this world. What values I would keep coming back to and allow to guide me.
These ideas led me to create The Hope Manifesto that was my last post. I choose to stand for Love, Compassion, Kindness, Hope, and Service. I’m finding ways to put those things out into the world. Whether it’s through the Little Free Pantry (which really helped someone today!), paying more to get all our electricity through Wind Source power, or volunteering to write letters encouraging people to vote in November.
I’m learning that taking one action, as tiny as it might be, makes the subsequent action easier. My walls of resistance weaken with every successive action I take. I’m feeling a sense of AGENCY, which is my perception of my ability to impact my life and my world. AGENCY comes up a lot in the research around HOPE. It’s a key ingredient, along with having GOALS for a better future and PATHWAYS to achieve those goals. This is detailed in “Making Hope Happen”, the book I’ve referred to in several posts.
Our world is crying out for PEOPLE OF CONSCIENCE to take a STAND for what they BELIEVE IN and then both DO and BE in alignment with those values. THE WORLD NEEDS YOU AND YOUR VALUES VISIBLE right now through your actions, mindset, and if I can create a new word, heartset.
And so I ask you, my companions on this journey of HOPE, what DO YOU stand for in this world? How are you DOING and BEING into those values?
With Love and Hope,
Colleen
8 Comments
JIm Gillespie
What struck me most about your manifesto is the proposition that hope is a choice. If one were to weigh the evidence there’s at least as much reason for despair or cynicism, but so many people, so much of creation, need our hope and our action. I’m a Unitarian Universalist (don’t worry we don’t proslytize) and your choice to hope is very consistent with UU philosophy. Here’s a link to the seven UU principles.
https://www.uua.org/beliefs/what-we-believe/principles
colleen_osborne
Hi Jim!
I’m glad to hear the manifesto was thought provoking. Thanks for sharing the UU principles. I’ll take a look.
Colleen
Gayle Talaga
I too am a Unitarian Universalist, and we are called to action. I was gobsmacked when you quoted “silence is agreement.” I’ve just spent the last week, along with colleagues, correcting and responding to many racially tinged, often meant to be covert!, Facebook posts. There has been a huge uproar in our community (you may have heard, Colleen) over flying a large flag with a swastika on it. Amazing how many people see nothing wrong with that!! But we did not stay silent, we did not agree, and the political leadership here now knows we do not agree with what was done, and were reminded we vote.
We presented them with a 1600 signature petition which also led to a long and well balanced story in the paper. We’ve not stayed silent, and we HOPE that even a small change will come–and if not, we place our hope in the ballot box!!
How wonderfully powerful for good hope can be!
colleen_osborne
Hi Gayle,
So glad you’re reading and sharing your experiences! There are so many things that we can’t be silent on in our world right now. I’m so grateful you’re speaking up.
Colleen
Anna
Thank you Colleen! You give me hope by writing this blog. I have been thinking about hope a lot since I started reading your blog and when I look in my journal entries I write about hope a lot, such as, “I hope this will happen, or hopefully” So I stand for hope as well and love and compassion. And I am feeling more confident too that we can share this hope with others especially in these trying times. Like you and Katherine said, let’s speak instead of agreement in silence to stay as is.
Anna
colleen_osborne
Hi again Anna,
You DO stand for Hope, Love, and Compassion. You’re an inspiration me.
Colleen
Katherine
Cheering you on as I read and feeling so empowered to live into hope by using my voice in action! The little pantry tugs at me as something so viable and important and hopeful, I’m in awe that you gave life to such a tremendous idea. I know my speaking up, speaking out makes me feel better, but what I take away from your post is how action is such a key part of hope! It is also a key part of refusing to be silent. I love your heart for giving voice to hope – and I am inspired by your action! This song became the song of the women’s marches these last years. Women around the world are uniting in this: I will not be silent! That gives me hope too! Milck – Silent https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl_Qfj8780M
colleen_osborne
Hi Katherine,
Thanks for your kind words. Although I didn’t create the idea of the Little Free Pantry, I love being part of the movement and perhaps influencing others to help their neighbors in such a simple way.
Thanks for reading and commenting! Glad you’re part of the community.
Colleen