"Beauty awakens the soul to act."                                                                        ~ Dante Alighieri 

Does the soul sleep? Does the beauty within us sleep? I don't know. I do know that I've experienced what I would call "soul awakenings."

As I write this, I am recalling a particular news report after 9/11. My soul felt stirred and awakened when I watched a report that showed women around the world keening for us and our loss. Their compassion was so deep and authentic that they were weeping, praying on their knees, swaying, feeling with us and for us...keening. It was part of the worldwide pain in the aftermath of that horrific event and yet there was beauty in their caring.

Beyond all our differences, beyond our fears of differences, there is a beautiful oneness among us. May we recognize that, respond to it, nurture it, and act upon it, especially as we react to violence. 

As we grieve with the families who have lost loved ones in the most recent school shooting, along with praying - perhaps keening, too - may we be moved to act not only out of anger and fear, but from the beauty, the love and the wisdom within us.

So much is possible - everything is possible - with love, beauty, hope, faith, compassion, reverence...

Truly,

Charlene

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