“later that night / i held an atlas in my lap / ran my fingers across the whole world / and whispered / where does it hurt?
it answered / everywhere / everywhere / everywhere.” ― Warsan Shire
For many people it has been a heavy-hearted fall. Punctuated by moments of joy, or relief, only to be weighed down again by the next news cycle, the next horrific story of humans seeding fear and perpetuating violence.
This is as much the case here at home – racism disguised as security, or not disguised at all, prioritizing some colours of lives over others – as it is in the attacks we hear about abroad.
And, as is always the case, how we were taught to respond, and what we are able to call out of ourselves in response, defines us. What levels of love, or hate, might we be capable of? What would it take for us to do better, be better?
As the days get shorter and colder, it feels like a time to gather together. Hate isn’t countered alone. It is countered by the only forces strong enough to dissolve it – curiosity, cooperation, radical inclusion.
We don’t move from terror to safety through more violence and war. We move from terror to safety through a profound rediscovery of our collective capacity to love. That is the challenge that will lift our weary, heavy hearts.
Are you up for it?
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The Paris Climate Talks 
Christine is heading to the Paris Climate Negotiations (COP21) this week, as a delegate from the United Church of Canada. She will be blogging, tweeting and facebooking.
You can follow her on Twitter, onFacebook, or read her blogs atwww.fossilfreefaith.ca.
The Self Care Project – Year 3! 
In January the Self Care Project is heading into it’s third year! We’ll send you an email with more info when registration is open, asking you to help spread the word.
For now you can read more here. And follow us on Facebook to see more of our self care reminders.
