Bright Ideas: Parker Palmer Depression

Posted on February 8, 2017 by dkatiepowellart

w17-1-25-bi-parker-palmer-campbellParker Palmer, writer and activist, became known to me through his writings
about depression.  I  find him grounding and thought-provoking.  His thoughts on the current state we find ourselves in are most comforting:

“How do I stay engaged and whole on the shadow side of democracy? I’ve been putting that question to my soul, and the response has been unnerving. It seems I’m being called to become a “patriot,” a word I scrapped years ago when it was co-opted by the “God, Guns, Guts, and Glory” gang. But a passage about patriotism by pastor/activist William Sloane Coffin — who spoke in the voice of the soul — has me looking for ways to reclaim that word for myself:

There are three kinds of patriots, two bad, one good. The bad ones are the uncritical lovers and the loveless critics. Good patriots carry on a lover’s quarrel with their country, a reflection of God’s lover’s quarrel with the world.

What would it mean to have a “lover’s quarrel” with my country right now, animated by the fierce love my soul would affirm?”

For his answer, read on in ONBEING!

☾

Bright Ideas multi-color journal,
Platinum Carbon pen in medium with De Atramentis Document Brown ink.

w16-5-13-bi-patricks-sanddollars-01-sq W16 4 21 BI STUPID PHONE 01 SQ w16-4-24-bi-ganesha-sq w16-5-6-bi-mrp-1st-date-shiva-sq w16-4-25-bi-daffy-dill-sq

 ©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back  to dkatiepowellart.

About dkatiepowellart

hollywood baby turned beach gurl turned steel&glass city gurl turned cowgurl turned herb gurl turned green city gurl. . . artist writer photographer. . . cat lover but misses our big dogs, gone to heaven. . . buddhist and interested in the study of spiritual traditions. . . foodie, organic, lover of all things mik, partner in conservation business mpfconservation, consummate blogger, making a dream happen, insomniac who is either reading buddhist teachings or not-so-bloody mysteries or autobio journal thangs early in the morning when i can't sleep
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6 Responses to Bright Ideas: Parker Palmer Depression

  1. Margaret Parker Brown says:
    February 8, 2017 at 3:41 pm

    I say close the door and just paint! At least the idea is comforting. 😉

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  2. carlarey says:
    February 8, 2017 at 9:34 pm

    I followed you back here after seeing your journal page on Flickr. Thank you for writing this, and for linking to Parker Palmer’s article. It was all exactly what I needed to read today.

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