One is NOT Only

It has been a week of contrasts.  Charlottesville-hatred, discord and violence. Solar Eclipse 2017-unity, anticipation and celebration!  Both of these are part of who we are as people.  I always have a choice in who I choose to be. A friend shared something that happened to her  recently that gave me so much hope for who we can be.

“I had the nicest thing happen after church this morning. It’s my Sunday to set up the sanctuary and part of that is putting up and taking down flags on the outside of the building next to the entrance doors. I walked out to take them down and a young man walked up to me, handed me a bouquet of flowers and said “I’d like you to have this.” I was so confused. I asked if he was just giving this to me as a random person and he said “yes sort of.” A friend of his had been standing to the side and took our photo. I thanked him, introduced myself and said I would enjoy them. He had put a handwritten note inside that read “we may not worship at the  same places or revere the same prophets, but I am grateful to be able to share this planet and this lovely morning with you in peace. Have a wonderful day! Ryan.”

When I heard this story I didn’t ask or even wonder ” what color is Ryan?” My heart overflowed at the sweet humanity and spirit of Ryan and his friend.  Walking up to a stranger and building a bridge. This is also who we are. I can’t stop thinking about this beautiful and brave gesture.

Last month a news story went viral-“HUMAN CHAIN SAVES SWIMMERS-at least 80 people formed human chain to save drowning family caught in riptide”.

When the people on shore realized what was happening no one said ” hey-hold up on this rescue-what church do you go to, which version of the Bible do you read, do you sprinkle or immerse?”  – all questions I heard intensely debated growing up. No one said ” I can’t link arms with you-you are a different color-guess those people have to drown”. No one said these things because they thought with their heart, they saw the drowning family as their own family.

We need to build a human chain of love around our country-send bouquets of human kindness to  those who are different or who we don’t understand. Send bouquets of human kindness to those that scare us, look different , think different , worship different.

Jesus said ‘”love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”.  It is challenging for me not to react with hate when I see people trying to revive and promote racism. But anger and hate are not the same thing. My hate is not righteous hate-it is just hate and poisons my spirit. I want to find ways every day to follow Ryan’s example of building a bridge with strangers :  ” we may not worship at the same places or revere the same prophets, but I am grateful to be able to share this planet and this lovely morning with you in peace. Have a wonderful day! ” I am glad I share this planet with you too Ryan-wherever you are on this day.

©  Michelle Campanis 2017