Jennifer, this post reaches me at my core. I love the idea of International Human's Day, and I believe that if we need to find areas of connection and nurture, honor, and celebrate them. I hope my books serve the purpose of worldwrighting in some small way. Right now, my focus is mostly on the Jamestown Ukraine Relief Project, trying to bring humanitarian aid to people displaced and/or in need due to the invasion. This is something I wrote back in 2016. I will repost it on Facebook this week on my birthday. June 13, 2016
Dear sisters and brothers on the Planet Earth,
I love you. Every single one of you. I don't care what you believe. I don't care what group you belong to. I don't care if you agree with anything I think, I say, I believe. The one thing I know for sure about you, about each and every one of you, is that we are living on this earth together right now.
You may be just a few minutes old, or maybe over 100 years old, taking your very first breaths, or your very last ones. We all come from the same source and have whirled and twirled our way through the universe into bodies on this planet right now. We are undeniably connected, not just with each other, but with the past and the future and the source of all life.
We are all tied to the most beautiful, selfless acts in human history and we are all tied to the most, horrible, cruel acts in human history. We are all innocent and we are all guilty. We have all been harmed by our species' tendency to turn to violence as a solution. We have all been enriched by our species' tendency to seek peace. Each of us has the potential to love, to hate, to nurture life and to take life.
We are all lost. But we can be found.
We have ALL been harmed by thousands of years of history that told us we are separate from each other.
We can find each other with love, forgiveness, compassion, and respect for the amazing planet that sustains us all. It is OUR home. We live here together. No matter what we believe.
My question for you, my beloved brothers and sisters, is simple. What kind of life do you want for the children of the world...for your children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and for the generations that follow? Do you want their lives to be framed by war, vengeance, fear, ideological conflict, a sense of separateness and hate? I do not want this future for my children and grandchildren or anyone else's.
So, I have no choice, but to renounce the illusion that we are separate. Right now, the only way I know how to do that is to try to rise above my inclination to horror, to fear, to outrage, to judgment, to feelings of separateness. Instead, I will love without ceasing. I will pry my heart open to give and receive love. I don't know what else to do. I am connected to you, dear sister and brother. Please accept my love.
Your sister,
Jan
PS, Jenn, I am such an admirer of the work you do. The last few years, babysitting grandkids, trying to finish my book , a few health issues, and moving to RI have prevented me from getting out to western MA, but I hope to reconnect with you in person sometime this year. You are an inspirational force and I admire all your efforts.
Wow, what a powerful, beautiful piece of writing, Jan! Thank you so much for sharing here! Congratulations on your latest book, and yes, it would be great to connect in person...but online also works, you are more than welcome to join the Birth Your Truest Story online community for writers, which takes up where the Berkshire Festival of Women Writers left off, but online. I am planning to start a series of online Author Conversations soon; it would be my pleasure to interview you!
i agree that the environment should be the top concern. But I still spent some time emailing about the current activity about the ERA. And emailing about the wonderful Cassie Chambers (D) getting elected to the Kentucky state senate. Is this an example of "effective altruism"? I guess not. For now, I don't care.
Jennifer, this post reaches me at my core. I love the idea of International Human's Day, and I believe that if we need to find areas of connection and nurture, honor, and celebrate them. I hope my books serve the purpose of worldwrighting in some small way. Right now, my focus is mostly on the Jamestown Ukraine Relief Project, trying to bring humanitarian aid to people displaced and/or in need due to the invasion. This is something I wrote back in 2016. I will repost it on Facebook this week on my birthday. June 13, 2016
Dear sisters and brothers on the Planet Earth,
I love you. Every single one of you. I don't care what you believe. I don't care what group you belong to. I don't care if you agree with anything I think, I say, I believe. The one thing I know for sure about you, about each and every one of you, is that we are living on this earth together right now.
You may be just a few minutes old, or maybe over 100 years old, taking your very first breaths, or your very last ones. We all come from the same source and have whirled and twirled our way through the universe into bodies on this planet right now. We are undeniably connected, not just with each other, but with the past and the future and the source of all life.
We are all tied to the most beautiful, selfless acts in human history and we are all tied to the most, horrible, cruel acts in human history. We are all innocent and we are all guilty. We have all been harmed by our species' tendency to turn to violence as a solution. We have all been enriched by our species' tendency to seek peace. Each of us has the potential to love, to hate, to nurture life and to take life.
We are all lost. But we can be found.
We have ALL been harmed by thousands of years of history that told us we are separate from each other.
We can find each other with love, forgiveness, compassion, and respect for the amazing planet that sustains us all. It is OUR home. We live here together. No matter what we believe.
My question for you, my beloved brothers and sisters, is simple. What kind of life do you want for the children of the world...for your children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and for the generations that follow? Do you want their lives to be framed by war, vengeance, fear, ideological conflict, a sense of separateness and hate? I do not want this future for my children and grandchildren or anyone else's.
So, I have no choice, but to renounce the illusion that we are separate. Right now, the only way I know how to do that is to try to rise above my inclination to horror, to fear, to outrage, to judgment, to feelings of separateness. Instead, I will love without ceasing. I will pry my heart open to give and receive love. I don't know what else to do. I am connected to you, dear sister and brother. Please accept my love.
Your sister,
Jan
PS, Jenn, I am such an admirer of the work you do. The last few years, babysitting grandkids, trying to finish my book , a few health issues, and moving to RI have prevented me from getting out to western MA, but I hope to reconnect with you in person sometime this year. You are an inspirational force and I admire all your efforts.
Wow, what a powerful, beautiful piece of writing, Jan! Thank you so much for sharing here! Congratulations on your latest book, and yes, it would be great to connect in person...but online also works, you are more than welcome to join the Birth Your Truest Story online community for writers, which takes up where the Berkshire Festival of Women Writers left off, but online. I am planning to start a series of online Author Conversations soon; it would be my pleasure to interview you!
It would be my pleasure to be interviewed by you, Jennifer!
i agree that the environment should be the top concern. But I still spent some time emailing about the current activity about the ERA. And emailing about the wonderful Cassie Chambers (D) getting elected to the Kentucky state senate. Is this an example of "effective altruism"? I guess not. For now, I don't care.
Thank you for taking that time, Gerry! It's all important, for sure....