Holding the good and the not-so-good

As we enter into Summer 2023, news from the US Supreme Court reminds us that we are in the period of backtrack and retrenchment. Much of the world is caught in conflict and extreme weather is showing a plethora of new forms. At the same time, we are celebrating that we can once again travel, gather, and be with others, many of whom we still have not seen for many years coming out of this poat-2020 time. Despite the challenges that are before us, or perhaps, because of him, we may seek to truly embrace all that life has to offer us into really relish these wonderful summer experiences.

We can do this by embracing what is good in this time and what is…not so good. If we were only to focus on the joyful (fireflies when on the East Coast and the glory of these long, warm days, just to list a couple!) then we would be denying our connections to those who are particularly affected in these times–the black,indigenous, people of color who will no longer have a chance to level and uneven playing field; the women whose bodies are under attack; and our bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgender, queer and questioning siblings who increasingly are targeted in too many states in the nation. If we only focus on these hard truths, we will miss the much needed renewal of summer.

So let us unite in our understanding that we can hold sadness and danger alongside our joy and gratitude. In this manner, we can both stay engaged and truly appreciate the every day miracles that surround us, making sure we’re paying attention to the bigger frames and protecting specially those who are most vulnerable while still doing the necessary bits to renew our spirits and take in the joyful.

In this way, maythe Summer be a field of possibilities.