After receiving a much-needed pedicure recently, I was looking down at my feet and saw that I had slipped on what I lovingly refer to as my ‘house shoes’___a 20+ year old pair of Birkenstock sandals that have been resoled at least once and glued together more times than I can count. I began to consider whether or not it was time to let them go, but before I could finish that thought, I felt prompted to ‘stand at the crossroads and look’ and contemplate those worn out shoes a little more deeply, particularly in light of recent events.
Lately there have been lots of shoes on lots of feet that are walking in lots of places…on hot asphalt streets, on dusty trails, in green parks…taking step after step to try and do justice…not only in our own country, but around the world. In many of these places, men and women of good will are working for peace and trying hard to love mercy (kindness) as a deterrent to the vitriol that would corrode our sense of common decency and civility.
I reached for my phone.
I dialed the numbers of four young men of color who, within the last few years, graduated from the college program I used to chair. During their time at Delta State, I considered them to be student leaders, and we had enough history among us for me to feel comfortable calling them with the question, “What can I do to help make this community better?” To a man, they offered me words of encouragement and they showed kindness. As we talked, I was saddened to hear of incidents of discrimination and injustice they personally experienced during their college years spent in our community.
But these young men also had it in their hearts to express deep gratitude and a hope that the world would be better going forward if people would take the time to truly ‘see’ each other. These are young men of faith, and in their words and through their actions I can see the manifestation of the biblical mandate from Micah to walk humbly with your God. I am confident each of them will change this world for the better. Knowing them has surely changed me for the better.
I recently came across an old song I wrote over 25 years ago called “Down In Capetown.” I wrote it in the mid-80s about the injustice of apartheid in South Africa, and I was struck with how closely the lyrics reflect the pain and struggle of the recent tragedies making headlines in America. Perhaps a difficult song to hear, but one not without hope at its conclusion.
From the words of Dr. Daina Ramey Berry: “…how can I, in my little corner of the world, make change happen and make generations that come after me experience a more just and whole society?…”
Maybe my old sandals have a few more miles in them….I’m going to look for the gorilla glue.
+Peace+
Tricia
