Day 11: Faith
#evolving40 Day 11: #Faith
We're in the midst of a time that’s testing my faith in humanity. Tonight I picked up a takeout meal at a local restaurant, and every person I saw going in was not wearing a mask. Standing outside waiting for my order, I wanted to yell at each one: “What are you doing?! Have you seen the numbers?”
Delusion is powerful. Individualism in America is powerful. We want to do what we want to do, and we're missing the sense of collective social responsibility that’s contributed to the drop in infection rates in other parts of the world.
Then there’s our governor, who’s “torn” on what to do about the Mississippi state flag, which contains the Confederate emblem. And then there's just about everything the president does, and the majority of headlines at the moment. There's a lot of pain in the world right now.
And yet, I still have faith that love and justice will ultimately prevail over fear and hatred. The Mississippi legislature seems poised to change the flag as soon as tomorrow. A lot of people are stepping into racial justice dialogue and social change work for the first time.
Throngs of people around the world have risked their health and safety to protest police brutality and racial violence. Strangers are donating to people in need.
The next generation is using social media to obstruct white supremacy as soon as it springs up. My 6-year-old is baffled by the concept of racial discrimination.
I have faith in human ingenuity to fast-track a COVID vaccine, and in human kindness to be of service to others. I believe that in the same way individuals can act irresponsibly and spread suffering, so can individuals act courageously and set justice in motion.
Right now we're seeing that people are the best, and people are the worst. But I believe that in the end, the best of us will overcome.
Two quotes I always return to when I start to lose my faith in humanity:
“My mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’"
- Fred Rogers, on seeing scary things on the news as a child
"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice."
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
* How I’ve evolved: When my misanthropy is triggered by people making harmful choices en masse, I zero in on the helpers — the ones in my life and those in the public eye — and think about how I can be a helper myself.
* How I’m evolving: Staying informed enough to stay active in social change work while also preserving my mental health (i.e. not watching cable news or scrolling through Twitter too often). It’s an ongoing challenge!
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If you’d like to join me for The Evolving 40:
- All are welcome. Jump in at any time.
- On the daily theme, think: “How have I evolved? How am I evolving?”
- Length and format are up to you.
- Post in the comments below or on your own social with the hashtag #evolving40.
- Whatever comes up is what’s meant to be.
