- I walk across New Hampshire to build my moral fiber.
- I walk because Quakers walk cheerfully over the earth, not just walk to Meeting.
- I walk in communion with f/Friends and this hallowed ground.
- I walk to learn how to live faithfully, because currently my lifestyle denies climate change.
- I walk to shut down these coal-fired plants, which are suicidal for me and you.
- I walk in full awareness of the sacred. There is a thrill of listening to the Inner Landscape of my Heart. My heart quickens in walking worship. I walk to envision how Spirit would live (w)holy Reality in this world. I know that any Justice-work builds on this holy relationship. Quakers have several testimonies, and yet it is all one testimony.
In the 2017 political climate, there’s a lot of fear. I refuse to let fear rule my actions. Listening to the president’s rants is not helpful. I need to unite with people who have a vision of love, and who are willing to sacrifice to build it. Please join with us to build community. Let’s renew and rebuild instead of reacting and retaliating?
One cold spring day in 2013 I was jogging by the Charles river. I was stressed out not knowing how to get out of doubt and onto the path of liberation. I felt useless, not sure if Friends would ever make a dent in the war and ravaging of the earth. I ran and prayed for help. I thought about my heroes, everyone from Margaret Fell, to Elizabeth Watson, to Dan Berrigan. I remembered the parable of Adam and Eve eating the apple. In Genesis 2:9 it mentions the Tree of Life, different than a Tree of Knowledge. Could I be propelled by a promise of the Tree of Life while our species is on the precipice of extinction?
I was running for some release, I needed some Holy assurance that the World wouldn’t self-destruct. The Bible speaks of sacred space like a Tree of Life, with righteousness, clean water flowing and food and honey without pay (Ez 47:12; Proverbs 11:30; Ez 31:8; Is 55). I yearn for this and sometimes find it true. Can Quakers join with this promise? I ran home—sweating and still searching.
As I passed by the Harvard U bridge, called the Longfellow Bridge, carved in 1912 the passage in Revelations 22:2 was written out in marble.
On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing
twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.
And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
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