Social Issues: A Prayer for Healing
We call you by so many names and yet you are the same. You are our source of comfort in our pain, safety in the face of fear, and solace in times of loss. You are the one we turn to when humans fail us. When our way is dark and the road rocky, we trust you to guide us and clear the way. You've saved us from ourselves before and I think we need your help again. You are the healer. We are the world. Are you there? Do you hear us?
From here on my perch, the world looks so big. Don’t you see how small I am? What can someone like me do? I’m doing all I can, I think, but it isn’t enough. Can’t you stop all this hate and violence? We’re hurting, you know. Everywhere I look there is sadness, hopelessness, pain, starvation, homelessness, and death. Is this why we’re here? Are we so stubborn that it takes this much suffering to wake us up? Did we take too much for granted and take too long to notice? Have we waited too long to ask for help?
Our sea of humanity has lost its humility, hasn't it? We became so independent that we sacrificed our inter-relatedness to one another. Greed has replaced charity and passion – compassion. We have given greater value to things and devalued character. And, we have turned our back on compromise to salvage our ego. We just can’t admit being wrong and we have forgotten how to say I’m sorry.
What a mess we've made of things. When did we start asking for a hand-out instead of offering a hand up? When did we start taking what we want instead of giving something away? When did it happen, that our worth became measured by the things we own rather than the things we do? When did our word or a hand shake fall second to a written contract?
We are called by many names but aren’t we mostly the same? Don’t we just want peace, to be left alone to love and raise our children in a good way? It shouldn't be this hard if we really just want the same things.
I think we need your help again. Are you there?
© 2012 Linda Crist, All rights reserved.
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Reflection on the Past
After a bit of reflection, I wrote another piece related to the status of our country and how over 30 years ago, we were having similar conversations and worrying about the future. You might enjoy it too. It's called "Socially Responsible Music of the 80's is Still Relevant Today". Click the title to read it.