It's Dark or Light

My heart’s hurting.

These days, no one has to ask why. 

It’s what’s happening in Israel and Gaza. Ukraine. Other war-torn areas of the world. The divisive injustices against living, breathing human beings. The loss of life.

It’s where we are as a human race. It’s our planet, which is dying.

As John Coffey said near the end of his life in The Green Mile, “I’m tired of people being ugly to each other. It feels like pieces of glass in my head.”

How are your head and heart doing?

Like everyone, there have been many times when my heart has been crushed. When my mom died. Past breakups. Layoffs. My dad’s fall, losing his ability to walk, and eventual passing. My divorce. Loved ones struggling with addictions. 

But my challenges seem miniscule compared to what’s happening today. 

My BFF put this in greater perspective when she said, “Worrying about climate change is a problem of privilege.”

I had not thought about it that way. But those who are oppressed or marginalized have never had security in any form. Not even about having access to the planet that is also under their feet.

Of course.

I got it.

My small worries about the future are still those of a person of privilege. I get to wake up in my own home today. I get to go to my fulfilling job on Monday morning. I get to know my family is safe today.

Some of my friends and clients have talked about how they want to do something. But they don’t know what. What kind of tiny difference can any of us make as individuals against such staggering injustices and divisiveness? Especially when some of these battles have lasted for centuries, and when it’s not our own story?

Rumi has great advice about this. He wrote:

“I said: what about my eyes?
He said: Keep them on the road.

I said: What about my passion?
He said: Keep it burning.”

We are standing in a giant collective shadow. 

At the same time, we are being called forward to be deeper containers for each other for both the pain and the aspirations we hold. 

What is your pain doing do you? Is it making you dig your heels any further into your own views of the world? Are you allowing yourself to see any differently? Is it closing down your heart, or opening it up?

Perhaps addressing our own shadows is the bridge to the collective shadow.  

There are several other beautiful lines from Rumi in that same poem about this:

“I said: What about my heart?

He said: Tell me what you hold inside it?

I said: Pain and sorrow.

He said: Stay with it. The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”

We must cry when we need to. Let our tears release resistance. Let our tears help us to see. 

Our wounds are where the light gets in.

Have a comment? Please share on social media or contact Kellie here