Peaceful Progress
We’re only eleven days into the month, and it feels like a decade! During Wednesday Wisdom Live last week, the topic was WE CAN ____. Thank you to all who joined me to fill in the blank. I appreciate each of you. We can love, learn, grow, change, and unite.
But how can we coexist and accept until we first listen to each other?
Click here to watch Wednesday Wisdom Live from June 3rd
I shared that. as Nelson Mandela expressed, hate is learned. So why can’t we teach our children, friends, neighbors, and others to love? We also talked about the importance of compassion. I will never condone violence or looting. But I wish I had the answer. When so many souls are not being heard, what else can someone do? I encouraged you to have tough, tender conversations. I challenged you to peacefully use your voice to initiate dialogue, even when it is difficult to do so.
Yesterday we continued our conversation. I began with Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote,
“For it isn’t enough to talk of peace. One must believe it.
And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.”
I reiterated that growth is uncomfortable. Change does not happen in a comfortable or easy way. But it is necessary. And I am grateful to see that violence has seemed to simmer while peace has persisted. That’s why this week’s Wednesday Wisdom topic was PEACEFUL PROGRESS. I am seeing, reading, and listening to hopeful messages. And the pandemic of racism has been a multi-century pandemic. It is not okay. We are in the midst of a movement. Will you reduce it to a simple hashtag? Or will you MOVE this forward and contribute to the transformation of our society?
We must have courage to change. It takes courage to speak up. It takes courage to do the right thing. And above all, we need love. I watched the CNN and Sesame Street collaboration “Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism.” If you haven’t seen it, I encourage you to do so. This was one of many examples of peaceful progress.
Click here to watch Wednesday Wisdom Live from June 10th
People are amplifying their messages. Let’s finally listen as a collective society. Let’s learn from each other. We must do better. This cannot continue. And I believe the time is now.