Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.
One of my earliest memories outside things that happened to me personally is the assassination of Bobby Kennedy. The images of him first at the podium and later on the floor live in the recesses of my brain. They launched for me an awareness of the nightly news and a world in turmoil beyond my front door. From that time on I have been an obsessive news watcher. This news story was my gateway drug to a lifelong habit of consuming far more news than is probably healthy. Current events leave me weary. Hearing snippets of Bobby Kennedy's encouraging and wise words this past week lifted my spirits and restored my hope.
Ripples of hope that make me thankful...
The vegetables currently growing in my garden
The flowers that fill the yard
The light of long days
The chance to relax and restore the soul
My son who is a good man and is spending his "year off" working at a residential treatment center for troubled adolescents
My daughter who is a gifted teacher
My daughter who improves people's health and self-esteem by caring for their smiles
My husband who is faithfully by my side
American history which reminds us we have been through turbulent times before and emerged battered, but not broken
The vegetables currently growing in my garden
The flowers that fill the yard
The light of long days
The chance to relax and restore the soul
My son who is a good man and is spending his "year off" working at a residential treatment center for troubled adolescents
My daughter who is a gifted teacher
My daughter who improves people's health and self-esteem by caring for their smiles
My husband who is faithfully by my side
American history which reminds us we have been through turbulent times before and emerged battered, but not broken
Wonderful words by Bobby. That was before my time, but one of my favourite movies of all-time is Bobby, about fictional lives going on in the hotel where he was that day, when he was killed. Powerful to think about.
ReplyDeleteI will have to look that up. The current insanity of the political climate down here has me very nostalgic.
DeleteI love your TToT and how you called them your "ripples of hope." We must hang onto that thought you shared in your last line.
ReplyDeleteOne can easily become weary of some of the news being transmitted, and it can be a balancing act to keep oneself from falling into despair, yet we must not ever forget lessons learned from history.
Amen! My son keeps reminding me to walk away from the news more often. I have immersed myself in books for the past couple of years. I think I am on #64 this year. It makes me sound scholarly, but is really just a measure of my denial!
Delete(As if I needed convincing)... your post (imo) brings home the fact that everything is a part of everything else, if we can allow ourselves the perspective. (Not always easy or pleasant) as the world has nearly as much not-good as it has good.
ReplyDelete(The Doctrine reminds us of the value of looking to 'how we relate ourselves to the world around us.')
Thought-provoking post.*
*aka 'the best kind'
The world would be much better off if only more of us took up the philosophy of The Doctrine I do believe.
DeleteLike the others, I enjoy the theme you have this week. Hope and thankfulness definitely go together.
ReplyDeleteHand in hand!
DeleteWe need those ripples of hope. Beautiful post.
ReplyDeleteWe do, and they are feeling too far spaced these days.
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