You have no idea, really, of how profound this moment is for us. Us being the black people of the Southern United States. You think you know, because you are thoughtful, and you have studied our history. But seeing you deliver the torch so many others before you carried, year after year, decade after decade, century after century, only to be struck down before igniting the flame of justice and of law, is almost more than the heart can bear.
Read the full letter.
Beautiful, but I get that I can never really understand all that she is saying. This is my favorite paragaraph.
ReplyDeleteA good model of how to “work with the enemy” internally is presented by the Dalai Lama, in his endless care-taking of his soul as he confronts the Chinese government that invaded Tibet. Because, finally, it is the soul that must be preserved, if one is to remain a credible leader. All else might be lost; but when the soul dies, the connection to earth, to peoples, to animals, to rivers, to mountain ranges, purple and majestic, also dies. And your smile, with which we watch you do gracious battle with unjust characterizations, distortions and lies, is that expression of healthy self-worth, spirit and soul, that, kept happy and free and relaxed, can find an answering smile in all of us, lighting our way, and brightening the world.
And now I can relax. I guess you are doing ok. Take good care of yourself.
So - you are feeling better?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this letter. It has been a long road and we can, surely, all rejoice now.
Yep, all my vitals have returned to normal...of course I'm still on the antibiotics and I return to the docs for another chest ex-ray Wednesday, but yep, can't keep a good woman down and all that jazz ya know!
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this! I searched for more information about Alice and found her writing "All Praises to the Pause" --- another great read.
ReplyDeleteFabulous! What was most telling was when I asked our 8 year old the other night why this was so historic and she said "because he's so much better than McCain" (ha, ha). But we explained to her that he was the first African-American to become President and that many people didn't think that was possible. Her eyes got wide and my husband asked her if she knew what African American was and she said "oh yes, brown skin....why would that matter?".
ReplyDeleteI love that we're moving that direction. He's a great man and would be even if he were purple! :)