If you only write one blog a year, make it the blogblast for peace on November 4. And here we are.
Last year, a person who has been in my life a very long time said to me that blogging for peace was all well and good, but I had to know that it was a waste of time. Over the last year, he has continued to keep me updated on all of my poor choices and misconceptions about life, until I finally decided to put him on permanent ignore.
The point of this small rant is that we don't have to fight every battle, prove every point, convince every single person that we are right. Most of the time, it doesn't matter whether we are right or wrong. An amazing number of things we do in the world are issues of personal choice --- what vegetables to eat, what sweater to wear, whether or not to take your vitamins. Even whether to live or die. But people argue about them as if they are moral imperatives.
Then there are cultural norms disguised as moral imperatives. Food, again. Do you eat beef, pork, puppy? Who cares? (Other than the puppies... that is just wrong.) Do you wear long dresses or pants, do you cut your hair, wear make up? Women, too, face these issues. Who cares? Everyone knows you don't wear white after Labor Day, and once we can get that straight, all else is choice.
These are the things we fight about, in our homes, our neighborhoods, our churches, our nations, and our world. These are the dumb things.
And all of these things: land, power, what to eat, what to wear, how to pray; the need to control other people, all of these things are about fear. Fear that I won't have enough or that someone else will have more. Fear that I am not dressing right or that someone else looks better. Fear that I won't be loved enough.
I know, too simplistic. But I have become a simplistic person.
As a Christian, I believe that we are to love God and to love others as God loves us. That is simple.
We have enough, let go of that piece of bread and give it to your sister. We have enough, let go of that need to control and give it to your child. We have enough, be your true self and let others be their true selves. That is the moral imperative.
I can't control the monsters --- the people so controlled by fear that they hurt others. But I can refuse to be one of the monsters. At least for today, with God's help.
It has been almost two years since I have posted. I'm not even sure this thing works anymore. I know I need to revise my "favorite blog" list.
Facebook has taken the place of blogging for me. Well, that and stuff. I read my friends' posts, like cute kitty pictures, share inspirational pictures, LOVE pictures of their kids and pets. I know more about my own family because of Facebook. I am friends with an amazing first cousin I haven't seen in forty years, probably. I see her children, I am awed by her wit and insight. I think about how she and my other cousins and second cousins and even more distant cousins are so much like me in many ways. Different in other ways (like, no, I'm not going to hobble a half-marathon). It's really cool.
For a marginal introvert-low conflict person like me, it's heaven. I can socialize and comment and even stir up controversy. I can ignore people without hurting their feelings. I can make people laugh. I can piss people off. It's really fun. And the best part. I can walk away.
And then walk back again, which is what I might be doing here, with this blog.
These are some things I'm thinking about.
Ethics, morality, and social conventions. Mostly in tax preparation, since that's what I do, but also in every day life.
Business and religion. I'm looking for internal consistency here, like in a good fantasy/sci-fi novel. But my own belief is that I must be a practicing Christian in all parts of my life. That means I can't love my neighbor and screw my clients or employees. (Figuratively. Gross.)
My religion and marriage. I am an Episcopalian. This is a fairly recent discovery on my part, but it was pretty cool when I found out other people thought like I do. It can't be easy, though, and there are Episcopalians who think like me on some things but not others. And marriage is pretty important to me. I'd like to explore marriage in Christianity, and in the Episcopal church in particular. After all, the founding of the church was precipitated by a dispute about marriage, or lack thereof. I'm not entirely sure marriage is an issue of morality at all. I think it's social convention. Love, respect, protection --- those are moral issues.
So let's see.
If you only blog once a year, I said, blog for peace. Which, it appears, I am doing. The once a year thing. And the blogging for peace.
On September 12, 2001, my uncle, a Roman Catholic priest known for practicing what he preached, awoke to messages of deep sorrow on his answering machine. People were afraid, people were sad, people were angry. Once caller said, "Father Duffy, when I come to church on Sunday, don't you dare preach peace."
I asked what he preached and he looked at me like he often did --- kindly, with hope that one day I wouldn't be so dense.
He preached reconciliation. Which is what our life as Christians is about. It is also what the lives of non-Christians is about, but the words may be different. We fall down. We get up again. We fall down. Like toddlers, we struggle to reach our parents, our creator.
And the love that the creator feels for us is all encompassing. Jesus said, there are two things I want from you. Love God. Love your neighbor as you love yourself, and as God loves you. Someone (I have heard it was a lawyer) asked, well, that's easy, but who is my neighbor. And Jesus looked at him as he often did, kindly, with the hope that one day he wouldn't be so dense, and told the story of the good Samaritan.
Jesus didn't say, love those to whom you are related. Love the people in your gated community. Love people who wear the same clothes that you do, and where the same political buttons. Jesus said love everybody.
And this is my prayer for Peace. Love God (in whatever form you find her) and love your neighbor (in whatever form you find her) as you love yourself.
And preach peace. Everyday, even when it hurts.
For the past few months I've (sort of) joined the count-down to the blogblast for peace. Even when I didn't write or post, I read and thought about peace.
- I've thought about the Peace of God that passes all understanding.
- I've thought about the peace and quiet that comes from hiding in bed in the dark eating bread and cheese.
- I've thought of the peaceful feeling that comes from walking with my darlings in the swampy woods.
- I've thought of peace and justice; peace and praise; peace and quiet.
I've thought about why we need to blog for peace.
I've blogged for peace because of the wars that have taken my family and friends away from their families and friends. Because of the wars that cause children to grow up believing a bomb shelter is just another room in the house. Because of the wars that poison our world and our lives, that take food from the hungry and warmth from our hearts.
I've blogged for peace because of the war on drugs; because of the war on poverty that has become a war on the poor; because of the war on our freedoms that disguises itself as a war for safety & security.
I've heard that there has always been war and injustice and there always will be. And although that made me sad, it helped me realize something important.
We blog for peace as if war is a crisis. Something different that is happening right now (not yesterday... not tomorrow) and must be addressed immediately but only for today ... something to which we must react.
But war and violence in all of its manifestations are not crises. They are chronic. And as such, Peace must be addressed as a chronic issue.
Yes, we need to blog for peace. We need to march and wave flags for peace. We need to stand up for peace.
And most of all, we need to live Peace. Every day, as much as we can. Peace to grumpy neighbor, peace to the harried mother, peace to the sad businessmen who've misplaced their souls.
Peace, even to those of you who really irritate me. Just for today.
And because this is a world wide blogblast4peace, please check out/check in with the founder and center of this movement.
