PEBBLE
Hatred is born of ignorance. Fear is its father, and isolation is its mother.
~Christian Picciolini, as quoted by Father Gregory Boyle
BOULDER
We are at a basic crossroads between deepening the decency that comes from caring for each other and spreading the contagion of making anyone who is different into an enemy. And, as history has shown through crusades, genocides, and world wars, if we don’t recognize ourselves in each other, we will consume each other. I implore you to stay devoted to the proposition that, when filled with love, we can work as angels here on Earth, using our caring hands as wings.
~Mark Nepo
shared by Joe via Grateful Living
PONDER
Last week I went to see Hoppers, the new animated film from Disney/Pixar. It’s fun, it’s funny, and it has a decent message. I want to keep this spoiler-free just in case you’re thinking about seeing the movie, but there’s a cute, cuddly, and chill character whose “maybe there’s room for all of us” vibe isn’t immediately embraced by the others who are desperately locked into an “us. vs. them” mindset.
I’m still pondering the film as I put the finishing touches on another “hope in hard times” talk I’m giving next week. The movie ultimately fueled my hope, and a comment from one of the movie’s many positive reviews helped strengthen my resolve: “Some critics will inevitably roll their eyes and call it overly optimistic, but we have to fight cynicism and remember that a bright-eyed vision of hope is an investment strategy….Optimism, in this context, is just another form of infrastructure, not unlike the lodges built by beavers to shape our world. We should never let the world convince us it’s not worth trying to make better.” ~BJ Colangelo, SlashFilm
Christian Picciolini’s insight that hatred is born of ignorance feels especially tender right now. When we’re genuinely curious about someone different from us, fear loses its grip a little. Mark Nepo calls it using our caring hands as wings — and I think that starts small: one conversation, one question, one moment of recognizing a fellow human on the other side of whatever divide. Not a grand gesture, just a quiet, persistent choice to recognize ourselves in each other — and maybe nudge one or two people toward doing the same.
Peace,
Paul