Driving through Richmond, VA suburbia: The hollow stares, the intolerable negligences and the "white picket fence" syndrome is hardly surmountable...
Driving through Richmond, VA suburbia: The hollow stares, the intolerable negligence's and the "white picket fence" syndrome are hardly surmountable...
As a bi-vocational minister I spend many hours in the homes of people and families involved in the ministries of the community. Lately, I have visited many "West-enders" and have found myself dreading the drive into "one more" cookie cutter housing development. As I'm pulling into the driveway, I'm asked to back up and wait while a gentlemen backs out one of his sixteen cars in order to make room for "one more". During my stay with the family, little Johnny runs through the house kicking a ball, breaking a lamp and cursing at his father- and when chastised- yells "shut-up", runs outside and slams the door. Then Mom and Dad turn to me and say, "ohhhh, little Johnny is just so athletic".
What the hell is wrong with this picture? While Bangkok is walking and sleeping in trepidation over the battle of finding funds to fight the pandemic- bird flu- and Uganda resolves to reach out to it's majority, of which 70% are in poverty, Americans are trying to decide which vacation they want to take and how many colors they really want in their wallpaper, and better yet- totaling our casualties...
We've got to learn to STOP. We've got to be present with ourselves long enough to hear the screaming silence, inviting us to participate in the world, to offer something instead of always taking.
World reknown architect, Maya Lin, designer of the new Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. was asked shortly after 9/11, what would be best for the site where the World Trade Towers had once stood. "Time", she answered. Time is something that erodes the spirit from within us, if, instead of taking it, we allow it to take us.
Confucianist Mencius believed in innate benevolence, that "No Man is devoid of a heart sensitive to the suffering of others." His idea of ren (benevolence) if properly cultivated within humans would likely assist in producing virtuous souls.
Marisa West, a student at Georgetown Day School, is organizing the delivery of prom dresses for Katrina victimized teenagers; girls whose hopes were shattered on that day- but as this young girl stopped and listened to the voice of silence she heard the screams of "shattered dreams", "despair" and "fear", and instead of hurrying on with her busy life- she stopped- and made a change. Now, thousands of people are mailing prom dresses to Washington and they will be distributed to high schools whose dreams were washed away by the raging waters of Hurricane Katrina.
Look at your life: 2.5 kids, golden retriever who fetches the newspaper, white picket fence, great job with a window view, and no time??? STOP! Listen to the world around you, listen to the voice within you, and do something about it.
