An Evolving Life. Hope for What's Next
Hope for What’s Next
Three days from now, we’ll know where we’re headed as a country. But at the moment, we’re caught in the crossfire of fear for our future, fear that our democracy, the freedoms we have enjoyed as Americans might be swept away by the madness of men hungry for power no matter what the cost.
For me and all others of Jewish descent, that fear has become quite potent in view of the slaughter that took place at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh last weekend. Could the horrors that began in Germany in the 1930s happen here?
Growing up amongst a community of Holocaust survivors in the sixties, that question reverberated throughout my upbringing in Lakewood, New Jersey. As an adult, I’ve been blessed and thankful that in my lifetime my family hasn’t witnessed or been subjected to much anti-semitism and such atrocities.
That threat, however, has become real for all Jews here in America. But there is a big difference between then and now. It’s the strength and solidarity exhibited this past week in thousands of communities across the nation. We might be afraid, but we’re not hiding behind closed doors, not passively waiting without exercising our rights and our voices.
On Thursday night, I attended a vigil at the Jewish Center of the Hamptons in East Hampton where there was standing room only. Clergy and those of all faiths came together with an outpouring of love, grief and a commitment to stand together as one. Rabbi Daniel Geffen of Temple Adas Israel, among others, urged us all to pay attention and stand up to what’s happening in our midst on a daily basis.
We must speak up and thwart any signs of hate whether it’s at the dinner table, at a business meeting or on the street. And make sure to report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
Now, however, it’s time to take a few moments to pause, ponder and pray—to assess how far we’ve come and to prepare for what’s coming next.
Then after bracing ourselves, we must stand up, show up, spread the good word, the good fight, the hope that no matter what the outcome on Tuesday, we can and will overcome.
Remember, bullies are just insecure children with big mouths whether they occupy too much space on the playground, on the town board, in the halls of Congress or in the Oval Office.
And by the way, don’t forget to VOTE!!
Please click the image to enlarge.
Miriam
An Evolving Life Series
Hope for What’s Next (This one)
Warm Seas.
An Evolving Life is a Hummingbird series in which Meryl Spiegel shares her journey to become the creative person that was hidden within herself for so long. Meryl chose this image, Warm Seas, from her SPLASH series, to represent An Evolving Life.
Editor's Note
I have had the good fortune of knowing Meryl Spiegel for many years. We met during my BNB days when she was referred to me as a resource for a specific type of photography I was searching for. I also knew her as a writer. Over the years, I have been impressed with Meryl’s talent and creativity, and the honesty of her work. When Meryl began to sketch, paint, work with pastels, she truly overlaid one talent on top of another. The layers were intriguing. I reached out to Meryl recently because I thought that the Hummingbird audience would appreciate her work, and value her process. They say that timing is everything, and in this case it was, because Meryl was thinking about not only “showing” her work, but writing about it too. In our new series, An Evolving Life, Meryl will share the stages, challenges, and meaning of her art, and the journey that coincides with the pieces she highlights. Sandra Novick
Link here to galleries of Meryl Spiegel's work on her website and on instagram.
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