A Beginning

This week a friend shared this quote from Dr. Eddie Glaude, Jr., “This is an inaugural moment. It’s a beginning; it’s not an end. I’ve said it before: justice is a practice.” It was a great reminder to me that we often set our sights on a goal – like racial justice, the end of war or a more sustainable planet – and forget that all these goals are also personal practices that we must nurture and begin again each day. We do need to make huge policy changes at every level if we are to realize these goals. And the more of us who are willing to keep beginning and practicing, the more momentum there will be for those big changes. Every action you take can inspire and encourage two more people to make our community more inclusive and kind, to end the mindset that sees war as a solution and to heal our fragile planet. I remember standing in Washington DC at one of the first Earth Day rallies and marching in New York City on the first anniversary of the Iraq War. The numbers of people and the hope and passion they brought was impressive. We need that passion more than ever today, because, let’s face it, we have so much work left to do and the costs of doing nothing are far too high. So regardless of how we might have fallen short, let’s begin again. Let’s bring all our hopes and passions to the table today and commit to really practice creating a beloved community and a planet that can breathe again.

PS: I love the connections in this community! A few weeks ago, I wrote about the violence in Myanmar. And after my letter went out, I learned that a dedicated and generous group of Missoulians are working to make a difference in Myanmar after having made several visits there. Room2Learn is launching a global fundraiser to build a small brick and steel schoolhouse in the remote highlands of Myanmar’s Nagaland. Despite the ongoing violence there, there is a hunger for education and a brighter future. Your donation can be that spark of hope that gives the future of Myanmar a beginning!

Author: Betsy Mulligan-Dague | JRPC Executive Director