Choosing Love
“Choose. The single clenched fist lifted and ready, or the open hand, held out and waiting. Choose: For we meet by one or the other.” — Carl Sandburg
I am a part of my Rotary Club’s Racial Unity and Peacebuilding Committee, and one of my tasks each week is to find a quote for our closing Minute for Peace. Over the past two and a half years, I have collected many quotes from famous and not so famous people about building a more peaceful society. At the heart of all of these quotes is the foundation of love. Without love, there is no peace.
One of my readers last week questioned where the love is in this topsy-turvy world. If we watch any news at all, we see mass shootings, increased hate crimes, domestic abuse, child abuse, racism, sexism, otherism, and war. There is so much meanness in the world that many of us are filled with despair. We want to make a difference, but the problems seem overwhelming. How does our little act of love make any kind of dent in the crushing problems of the world, especially when greed, power, and control are what seem to be the main motivators of many of our leaders.
As Carl Sandburg said in the opening quote, we must choose between the open hand or the clenched fist. In my own life, I must choose either love and hope or fear and despair. At this point, love is all I have to fall back on because I am helpless to do much else. I don’t have the power to change things on the world stage, but I do have the power to change myself and to make a difference in my own sphere of influence. Every time that I do something in love, it changes the person or institution to which that love was directed. The change may be small, but it is not inconsequential. I believe with all my heart that that little bit of love does ripple out into the world and will help bring the world to a tipping point that will change the paradigm from one of hate, power, and control to that of love, acceptance, and connection.
For my part, I choose the open hand of love. I do not want to live in fear, hate, and despair. I choose to make a difference in whatever small way I can – to volunteer my time, talent, and treasure to bring peace and love into my corner of the world. I choose to associate myself with others who also choose the way of love. I choose to answer hate with love. Do I always succeed, NO. But as I become more conscious, it becomes easier to choose the loving, open hand rather than the hateful, closed fist.
Barbara Garland
May 2023
Comments
When we meet in the park, on zoom on Thursdays, or I read one of your posts, I am given hope. Thank you!!!
We all need hope these days. Thanks for your comment.