A time to grow
It is imperative to remember the innate goodness and love that unite us.
When the signs of spring revved up in April and May, I wrote about the intersection of the COVID-19 era and the ultimate time of growth: spring. It was a case of the familiar next to the unfamiliar, the expected next to the unexpected.
Reflecting back on the earlier days of lockdown, it was hard to imagine what else could alter life so greatly. Then came May 25, when George Floyd died under the knee of a police officer during an arrest in Minneapolis. And the national conversation shifted overnight to one of racism and the movement for justice. In an instant, all eyes were on our very democracy. How would it respond?
The people took the lead through protests, although a number of state government leaders spoke out against hate and division. The Black Lives Matter movement was re-ignited and over 700 cities and towns across America saw protests, rallies and vigils. More communities add to that number every day, with demonstrations including a wide range of races and ages.
The nation faces an immense challenge: to come together for change, at a time when it is greatly needed. Though it may seem like the country is greatly divided, there are generations young and old uniting around this new call for justice and racial equality. It has momentum, and, so far, I sense a humble willingness in many good people to speak up and take action. There will be much learning, much connecting, much growth involved in these efforts, if they are to be successful.
As that work continues, it is imperative to remember the innate goodness and love that unite us. We turn to those qualities naturally, like a plant turns toward the sun. As Rev. Leon Dunkley, of the North Universalist Chapel Society in Woodstock, Vermont, put it recently: "We are not separate from each other."
— Gareth Henderson