Parker 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.
©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.
I say close the door and just paint! At least the idea is comforting. 😉
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In some ways I have done that. I don’t go for my morning hit of a wonderful stream of art because of the negative news that abounds… I paint and write. At least I can take it all a bit better in the after noon as I am ending my day. I chose how I am informing myself: Guardian and Intercept… Dan Rather. That helps too.
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Sounds like you have a good plan 😉
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Trying… daily… Work in progress!
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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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I am glad. I think sharing where we are honestly helps. Onbeing is a good rag!
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