Poetry

This historical moment is beyond prose. It takes poetry to capture its power and the pain. Here's one that lifted my spirits recently:

"The Low Road" 
by Marge Piercy

What can they do to you?
Whatever they want..

They can set you up, bust you,
they can break your fingers,
burn your brain with electricity,
blur you with drugs till you
can’t walk, can’t remember.
they can take away your children,
wall up your lover;
they can do anything you can’t stop them doing.

How can you stop them?
Alone you can fight, you can refuse.
You can take whatever revenge you can
But they roll right over you.
But two people fighting back to back
can cut through a mob
a snake-dancing fire
can break a cordon,
termites can bring down a mansion

Two people can keep each other sane
can give support, conviction,
love, massage, hope, sex.

Three people are a delegation
a cell, a wedge.
With four you can play games
and start a collective.
With six you can rent a whole house
have pie for dinner with no seconds
and make your own music.

Thirteen makes a circle,
a hundred fill a hall.
A thousand have solidarity
and your own newsletter;
ten thousand community
and your own papers;
a hundred thousand,
a network of communities;
a million our own world.

It goes one at a time.
It starts when you care to act.
It starts when you do it again
after they say no.
It starts when you say we
and know who you mean;
and each day you mean
one more.

Wow

In her book Help, Thanks, Wow, Anne Lamott reflects on our being able to see God in the world. I often take pictures when I am spiritually moved by nature. Being surrounded by nature not only brings me joy, but it also reminds me that I am a part of something bigger than myself. It can be a hike, seeing animals I'm not accustomed to, and especially a beautiful sky. Water can immediately bring me peace. Here are some of my glimpses of God in nature: https://goo.gl/photos/3rtfuvfhrSadnmZAA.

World Teacher Day Reflection

I love being a teacher. From the moment I first found out that I would get to teach a class, that became an important identity to me. What it means has evolved over the years. It first felt like a responsibility to just tell great stories. Then I understood it to mean empowering students to think. My next phase was believing that it was my responsibility to help students pair thought and action. Now my goal is to support students in using their knowledge of my subject to become most fully themselves and stand in their own power. They keep me hopeful that we can change the world!