I don’t want to think of evil, or believe in evil, or acknowledge the presence of evil.
And yet … as the situation in Ukraine continues … as political lies flood some media outlets and people believe the lies and repeat them as if they were truth … as weather conditions continue to pummel the world with floods, snowstorms, tornadoes, earthquakes, exhausting heat … as graves of residential school children are discovered … as some around the world have so much, while others have nothing … as homelessness, contaminated water, unbreathable air, dangerous work situations cause lives to be compromised or lost … as children, youth, adults, seniors die of gun violence … as freedoms are eroded … the signs are there and I must not be naive.
Evil exists.
That word ‘evil’ is spoken a lot these days by many people for many reasons. Accusations of ‘evil’ come to us on tv, in face-to-face conversations, through phone calls, via text messages, FB posts, messages and emails, and even handwritten correspondence … not just by adults, but by youth and children and elders … not just by politicians, but by ordinary citizens.
It’s easy to … tweet or text or type first, rather than think
… react first, rather than respond
… speak words of love, rather than show that love in action
… enable others, rather than be honest
… dwell in and focus on one’s own selfish desires, rather than allow the needs of others to be the motivating force.
When people say “All …” be that all religions or all politicians or all Democrats or all Republicans or all Conservatives or all Liberals
or all NDPer’s or all Jews or all Mexicans or all gays or all Italians or all Blacks or all trans or all Southerners or all differently-abled or all Americans or all poor or all elderly or all mentally ill
or all Asians or all youth or all … (fill in the blanks) … and then make a sweeping statement degrading, disrespecting, bullying, ignoring anyone in a particular category, there is no opportunity for dialogue, respectful listening, compassionate hearing, genuine caring, sincere conversation, sharing of opinion, or elimination of prejudice/bias let alone reconciliation, healing, hope.
The world craves hope. But if Hope leaves, what remains? Evil.
Before the 8th century when the ‘hearing, speaking, seeing evil’ concept began to take form through the writings of Confucius, the Biblical teaching: “abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22 NKJV) provided wise counsel.
But evil didn’t go away. Can it be defeated?
Difficult … but yes.
It involves change … a change in one’s way of life … a transformative change of heart … a turning-around … metanoia … turning around *e-v-i-l* to become *l-i-v-e.*
It is time to stop … denying … enabling the existence of evil.
Evil is real.
It exists.
It is time to name it.
It is time to turn the letters of ‘evil’ around to ‘live’!
Change – Metanoia Time.
Where there is darkness
… we must bring the light.
Where there is darkness
… we must send the light.
Where there is darkness
… we must *be* the light. “Let us not be overcome by evil … but overcome evil with good.” <Romans 12:21>
Every day we wake up, is a day to say “Welcome” to whichever day it is: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Rain or shine, hot or cold – while some days may prove to be difficult – the “Welcome, Days of the Week” cyber floral mosaic series was created in the hopes that the flowers will put a smile on your face, remind you of happy, peace-filled, times and brighten your day, just a bit.
If you are feeling ‘blah’ or ‘down’ or ‘just not yourself’ for whatever reason (global politics, personal health/finances/relationships), concerns about family), may you welcome the hope this cyber floral bouquet offers: the flowers in the photo will bloom again. And so will you … some way … some how … some day.
Each day is a new day and every day offers possibility, promise, gift. From me to you – a floral “Welcome” to each day of the week.
Feel free to return to this floral ‘Welcome, Day of the Week’ whenever you’d like a little “floral pick-me-up” on a particular day, and share this (or any “Soulistry – Artistry of the Soul” reflection) with others.
In spite of the rain, rain and more rain, the flowers in many parts of the world are beginning to ‘rise and shine’. Happy Monday morning!With so much yuck happening in the world, I thought I’d post a floral “welcome” / “happy” each day this week. So, “welcome Tuesday!” It’s Wednesday … a day to slow down a bit, observe Mother Nature around us, and “smell the roses.” Welcome Wednesday!Continuing on in the weekly floral “Hello / Welcome Day” series which began here on Monday and will continue until this Sunday. It’s so easy to grumble when we wake up, worry as we hear the latest news, get stressed when the weather descends in an unwelcome manner, find irritation in the actions/words of another, that we overlook the gift of another day to live, breathe, serve, think, move, reflect, contribute, play, work, simply “be.” Welcome Thursday – delighted you’re here!Sometimes we think “I don’t think Friday is ever going to get here” and then, voila – it arrives. So, welcome Friday. You’re finally here!The weekend has begun! The tiny bud on the strawberry plant encourages us to think about what may be ‘budding’ in our life that we can focus on this weekend. Welcome Saturday – ‘bud’ away!
The world knows what is happening in Ukraine. Those who live in that country, those with family living there, people around the world watching the news know about the war. There is a sense of feeling powerless, broken, fragile.
“What if” … conversations are commonplace in homes, offices, schools, factories, and shops as the world comes to grips with the human suffering happening because of the war and the nuclear threat which could lead to global destruction.
As I broke my egg for this morning’s breakfast, I remembered that while eggshells are fragile and easily broken, when a raw egg in its shell is held in the palm of a hand and squeezed, it cannot be broken.
Eggshells are strong under compression. Ukrainians are proving this day by day. They are leading the world in what it means to be a people of courage and a people who look for, pray, hope … hope for, and believe, peace is possible.
These days, peace seems like the elusive Pimpernel. War is happening in Ukraine. Shanghai has shut-down again because of COVID. There is a threat of nuclear / bacterial / chemical war. There are global financial crises and personal health / family / work struggles.
I often find myself looking to the sky – watching the clouds, the sunsets/sunrises, the birds soaring overhead. As I do, faces of dear friends appear in my thoughts. I believe that thoughts are transformed into prayer. The faces I see are the faces of those dealing with the ugly beasts called cancer, dementia, Parkinson’s, M.S., etc., and their exhausted caregivers. One was told that “nothing more can be done”. One was praying for a gentle end. One was exhausted and had decided against further chemo. One died last week.
Faces of other friends also appear in my thoughts and prayers … the faces of friends who are terrified of the pandemic that doesn’t seem to want to leave this planet; fearful of the threat of nuclear war; terrified that they/their family members/friends/neighbours will be murdered, raped, tortured by invading soldiers. One cannot sleep. One is obsessed with the news. One spoke of “ending it all now before things get worse.” When I find myself unable to process the suffering, the fear, the future for the children of this world, I remember the dove.
Since Mesopotamian times, the dove has been a symbol of peace. As I reflect, as I remember others, I discover momentary glimpses of peace which often come in the most unexpected of ways … in the awe of an eagle flying above … in the scent of a fresh lemon … in the warmth of a cup of hot chocolate … in seeing lines drawn on a page becoming a pattern or image … in the cuddle in a favourite blanket … in an afternoon nap … in the sound of gentle music
I make a conscious effort to imagine the dove again and again and again when processing the horrors of the war become too much. I picture the dove in my mind’s eye, hovering over the various cities of Ukraine; gently surrounding the hospitals, orphanages, homes, underground bomb shelters, on the battlefield, in the city streets, where the fear of those in those places is palpable, and my mind becomes a momentary place of sacred rest – of courage, strength, peace.
Fear must not be given space to overwhelm, to terrorize, to rob us of hope or of peace. Words can be powerful and can move us to consider possibilities, pray, and glimpse experience moments of peace …
“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.”<Mahatma Gandhi>
“Peace begins with a smile.”<Mother Teresa>
“You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.” <Malcolm X>
“Peace is more important than all justice; and peace was not made for the sake of justice, but justice for the sake of peace.”<Ezra Taft Benson>
“It’s time for us to turn to each other, not on each other.” <Jesse Jackson>
“We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other’s children.”<Jimmy Carter>
“War settles nothing.” <Dwight Eisenhower>
“Nothing will end war unless the people themselves refuse to go to war.” <Albert Einstein>
“Peace is the virtue of civilization. War is its crime.” <Victor Hugo>
“People do not make wars; governments do.”<Ronald Reagan> “I was once asked why I don’t participate in anti war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there.” <Mother Teresa>
“War against a foreign country only happens when the moneyed classes think they are going to profit from it.”<George Orwell>
“You don’t liberate a country standing on the soil of another.”<Fadia Faqir>
“My religion is based on truth and nonviolence.” <Mahatma Gandhi>
Peace. May there be peace on earth. And may it begin with me. Peace
“Slava Ukraini” – two words which, a month ago, were not known around the world. Since war erupted in Ukraine in February, those words have become known – a cry around the world … by people protesting in public against the war … by sharing images of what is happening in Ukraine on social media … by speeches of international politicians … by ordinary people in daily conversations .. by artists including the words in their paintings, mixed media, tangling, sculpture etc.
What do the words “Slava Ukraini” mean? What is their history? It goes back to the late 1880’s, with Ukrainian writer Taras Shevchenko’s poem “To Osnovyanenko”:
“Our thought, our song Will not die, will not perish… Oh there, people, is our glory, Glory of Ukraine!“ (Slava Ukraini = Glory to Ukraine)
During the Ukrainian War of Independence (1917-1921), the phrase “Slava Ukraini!” (Glory to Ukraine!) became part of the vocabulary of Ukrainian nationalists and when Ukraine declared independence in 1991, “Slava Ukraini” became a common patriotic slogan. In 1995, President Clinto used the phrase in his speech in Kyiv, and during the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, the phrase became a symbol of democracy and of resistance against Russian President Putin. Two months ago,“Slava Ukraini” signs began to appear around the world to show global solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
Being in ‘solidarity’ with Ukraine expresses support – financially, politically, prayerfully, in silence and in song, in creative images and in poetic form. Expressing support of Ukraine and its people is expressing support of democratic values in Ukraine and throughout the world.
May the words “Slava Ukraini” echo throughout the world, may peace come to Ukraine, and may democracy not just survive but thrive throughout the world. “Slava Ukraini!”
Ukraine. Say the name of the country and a variety of images flood our brain … images of fear, protest and terrifying disastrous situations of people running for their lives … crying children with addresses/phone numbers written on their hands or piece of paper as they cross the border out of Ukraine on their own … buildings in ruin … poignant farewells at train stations … soldiers fighting in snow and cold without food or sufficient military equipment … exhausted medical / first responder personnel remaining with patients as missiles attack hospitals, ambulances, firetrucks/stations … ordinary people defending their cities at great risk to themselves … hungry people … desperate people of all ages and situations. Ukraine is at war.
But then come images of hope and healing and support from within Ukraine and around the world … nations place sanctions on the oppressor, Russia … musicians, actors, dancers play their instruments, sing their songs, dance their dances, act their plays in the middle of Ukraine’s streets and give hope … artists on social media create art using Ukraine’s national flower (sunflower), the national colours of the country (blue/yellow), adding touches of green in solidarity with courageous Russian dissidents who, risking arrest (and worse), are protesting the war by tying green ribbons in public places as a sign of resistance because they refuse to be silenced about their government’s invasion and war on Ukraine. Not all Russians are supportive of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Around the world, people are … contributing to fund raisers and responsible charitable organizations who quickly are getting the money to Ukraine and helping those in need … travelling to Europe to bring medical supplies, fight in the war as soldiers / medical personnel / first responders / cooks / delivery persons / chaplains … making Air B&B bookings in Ukraine, even though they have no intention of using the bookings … purchasing from Ukrainian artists and craftspersons on Etsy, knowing they won’t receive the item (unless it’s downloadable).
Ukrainian customs and symbols are becoming known throughout the world as people of all ages … learn to cook Ukrainian (borscht, varenyky, piroshki, holubtsi, deruni, nalesniki, syrniki) … make/wear the lovely Ukrainian embroidered shirts (vyshyvankas) … discover the colourful Petrykivka (Ukrainian folk / ornamental) painting
A number of years ago, our little art group learned how to make Pysanky (Ukrainian Eggs). I enjoyed the process then and, wanting to ‘connect’ with the people of Ukraine and the Russian dissenters now, began to create paper Pysanky-inspired eggs using the Ukrainian national colours of yellow and blue with a touch of the green for the Russian dissenters.
As the piece began to emerge, it not only became a ‘connection’ with those people, but ‘Tangible Prayer’ for me.
I’ve always thought of the arts as a way of expressing a sense of spirituality, but until working on this piece, never quite realized the the depth of that connection. Each dance, each song, each sculpture, each meal, each arrangement of flowers in the garden or in a vase, each structural design, each craft, each work of art can raise spirits, give hope, put a smile on a face, joy in the heart of others, whether or not the artist believes in prayer or understands themselves to be at prayer when they create. Creativity = Spirituality = Soulistry (SOUL artISTRY)
When I create in the garden, kitchen, Studio, wherever, I try to create as a prayerful act but don’t always make that connection between creativity and spirituality.
Working on this piece helped me remember that when I create (as a conscious act of prayer or not), whatever it is I create, I am connected with others (e.g. the recipient, Mother Nature).
In so doing, I am praying … not always conscious … not always intentional .. but clearly tangible. “Tangible Prayer.”
