My reactions to last weekend’s violence and displays of hatred in Charlottesville, Virginia was both visceral and emotional. When fear is promoted—anger grows.  When anger is tolerated—violence erupts.  When violence is accepted as necessary—deaths occur.  When deaths are seen as unfortunate collateral damage of a greater cause—what will happen to us?

My minister/teacher in Massachusetts wrote recently of how, in seminary, we are taught to be a “’non-anxious presence’ to walk into the storm of conflict, turmoil or loss and be with those who are suffering in it.”  These words helped me.  I’m beginning to navigate my own physical and emotional reactions to all that is happening and I’m starting to prepare myself for the next phase of craziness of our country.  I use those words because I sense that there will be more fear promoted, more anger fanned, and more violence manifested.  We are moving into a reality where strength, conquering, and violence are the methods of achieving individual happiness.  This is an old reality—and primordial in origin.  While these methods allowed humankind to thrive in the vicious world of 10,000 years ago, these methods will be our undoing if they become the norm again.

But if I ground myself in what I know is true—that we are relational creatures deeply connected to each other and to the creation, and that we evolved and survived because we are wired to have love and compassion for each other—then I know the path forward.  It is living out my life values in all my actions and relationships.  It is walking into the storm of conflict with calmness and love and a beginners mind.  Walking without fear, without anger, and without any thought of violence.

This is the role of religious people—to be willing to hold to our Principles even in the next phase of craziness.  There may be more anger and more violence and deaths.  But I am hopeful, and my hope for us all is grounded in what I know is true—that love is the answer, the response, the attitude, the reaction, and the method that we must use..………may it be so………………Russ