I was hoping to find some simple words about staying positive and continuing to work towards peace and equality. You know how you sometimes feel like you need a personal boost or a bit of a lift?
I recalled we had seen these words on a poster in an exhibition in Stockholm last year and thought to myself they were strong and positive and deserved an outing.
So I went to my stash of paper offcuts, all trimmed to business card size and grabbed a handful of them (well...a 75 piece handful!) and got printing.
I recalled I hadn't seen an attribution at the exhibition; so Barry suggested I just google the words and see if they were attributed to an individual. I was thrilled when I discovered they were by Angela Davis, an African American activist.
So I ensured I printed her name on the back of each card.
What I really like about the words is that they aren't about hoping or believing or thinking or wishing; they are about ACTING - taking action, doing stuff, behaving in a manner which...and I felt energised by that thought. The sense of persistence also resonated with me - you can't just do it once a year; it's about doing it a l l t h e t i m e.
And then I just kept going and printed 50 drink coasters with the message as well - thinking wouldn't it be great to put your cup of coffee down by your computer on a positive message?
I get such joy out of these moments.
We were at a fabulous Conference yesterday and today - Communities in Control - and it felt right to share them with folk who work so hard to make our world a better place.
I recalled we had seen these words on a poster in an exhibition in Stockholm last year and thought to myself they were strong and positive and deserved an outing.
So I went to my stash of paper offcuts, all trimmed to business card size and grabbed a handful of them (well...a 75 piece handful!) and got printing.
So I ensured I printed her name on the back of each card.
What I really like about the words is that they aren't about hoping or believing or thinking or wishing; they are about ACTING - taking action, doing stuff, behaving in a manner which...and I felt energised by that thought. The sense of persistence also resonated with me - you can't just do it once a year; it's about doing it a l l t h e t i m e.
And then I just kept going and printed 50 drink coasters with the message as well - thinking wouldn't it be great to put your cup of coffee down by your computer on a positive message?
I get such joy out of these moments.
We were at a fabulous Conference yesterday and today - Communities in Control - and it felt right to share them with folk who work so hard to make our world a better place.
every act of love for our beautiful broken world is helping make the paradigm shift to mending the mess we're in
ReplyDeleteSo true Mo - the meaning will be made in small steps and in small ways.
DeleteWhat a lovely message.
ReplyDeleteThanks Penny - it really struck a chord with me. Go well.
DeleteThank you for these words
ReplyDeleteThank you for your words too Grace...
DeleteHi F - very powerful and challenging call to action. B
ReplyDeleteI really like the action call nature of them B!
DeleteFiona - more madness on our side of the world ... time to step it up (another) notch.
ReplyDeleteBtw, back in the day when the phrase "peace, love and tie-dye" was a thing, I used to say "peace, love and free Angela" instead. Thanks for bringing that unused memory synapse back to life ;)
It must leave you reeling on a daily basis...our madness is slightly more intermittent. But I do hope poor angela is free!
DeleteI hope you and Mo are right and that all the work you and she, and Barry and so many others do towards bringing love and peace to the forefront of people’s minds will see that shift in the way this world ticks along. We should, and others do, make it count every day. You are one of those that makes it count Fiona.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susan - I loved how these words gave me hope; and made me think I need to keep working and doing things, even if they are only small things...
Delete