Wednesday ~ June 20, 2018

Let's start with a fundamental human problem, and I don't mean race or religion or origin. I mean fear. Fright, my young friend, maybe the first serious enemy you have to face in our society. It's the most destructive emotional bogeyman there is. Cold feet, panic, depression, and violence are all symptoms of fear - when it's out of control. But this feeling, ironically, can also trigger courage, alertness, objectively. You must learn not to try to rid yourself of this basic, human emotion but to manipulate it for your own advantage. You cannot surrender to fear, but you can use it as a kind of fuel. Once you learn to control fear - to make it work for you - it will become one of your best friends.

(Jose Torres, 1936 - 2009)

Tuesday ~ June 19, 2018

The day comes when remaining the same becomes more painful than the risk to grow. And when that happens there are many goodbyes. We leave old patterns, old friends, old lovers, old ideas, and some cherished beliefs. Loss and growth are so often one and the same.

(Phoebe Eng, b. late 20th century )

Monday ~ June 18, 2018

When grief sits with you, its tropical heat thickening the air,
heavy as water more fit for gills than lungs;
when grief weights you like your own flesh only to more of it, an obesity of grief.
you think, how long can a body withstand this?
Then you hold life like a face.
between your palms, a plain face,
no charming smile, no violet eyes,
and you say, yes, I will take you
I will love you again.

(Ellen Bass, 1947 -   )

Sunday ~ June 17, 2018

In seeking to avoid a fight, we concede what we're about. We're about justice, fairness, equality - that's our strength. We cannot concede our strength. We must realize, understand and believe that our current conditions do not reflect our ultimate potential.  If we limit our choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, we disconnect ourselves from what we truly want. And all that is left is a compromise. In order to move forward, we need both the courage of our convictions and the commitment to do the work.

(Gary Delgado, 1951 -   )