Light and Love (on This Dark Day)
Today is a dark day in history. I sit here feeling confused about how we got to this place, terrified for the future of our country, and grieving all of the lives that will be lost because of the choice many have made. Today should have been a day of celebration, optimism, and frankly, relief. Instead, it is a day of mourning. I am not ready to move forward. I am not ready to forgive those who put us in this position. This week I have been sitting with two quotes from Martin Luther King Jr.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
How can I bring light and love to my country, my family, my friends, and the people who are in need of both the most? What does it mean to bring light and love to this world? We are all in this together and there is too much darkness here that needs light. I’m struggling. I am not marching this weekend. I am not getting into heated debates with friends or strangers on the internet. I am not passionately calling my family members asking why or how. I am not looking to understand or accept. I am not ready to move forward or to forgive. Not yet. Today, I will be watching everything unfold around me and thinking about another message from Mr. King.
“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies,
but the silence of our friends.”
Let there be no question, I will not be silent. I will stand for what is right, what is good, and what is just. Today, as we take this step into the darkness, I will stand with light and I will stand with love.
