His Words to Live By

“It takes great effort, but one of the prime tasks of the decent, sensitive human being is to participate in the perfection of this imperfect world. You are forbidden to withdraw or merely observe.”

Somehow I didn’t get it. I’ve turned to my father’s letter when I’ve missed him. I’ve also read his letter at distressing times. When he died, when Trump was elected, today. I sought comfort from his words and relished hearing his voice. Before today, my father’s letter gave me an infusion of his love for his family. Today, I got a massive dose of his love for humanity.

His conviction was that “you must feel in your guts, that as long as some are enslaved, all are in chains. You must know this and feel this.” Guided by his values which transcended time and space, he chose to be in the world. He rose to the occasions that called him and publicly voiced opposition to “…a world that is more occupied with the perfection of machines than with the perfection of the human condition.” He was fully aware that it’s harder to be jolted awake when there isn’t a major event like the Vietnam War, McCarthyism or George Floyd’s murder.

I own that I’ve rested in my comfort and haven’t done nearly enough to tackle racism and create equality. My father died almost eight years ago, but the fire of his convictions is what I needed today to really step up. I hear and accept his mandate to work towards a just world for all people. “You may have to jeopardize your positions of security in the community to show the immorality of government officials and their policies, but right will ultimately triumph.” I’m not worried about what I might lose by stepping up. There’s so much more to lose (my conscience, for starters) by standing by and doing nothing. I’m choosing humanity now and for the long haul.