Wow. It has been days since I’ve posted anything, which has felt so bizarre. However, it has opened up a lot of time for me to think about what I am going to write, and spend more time in reflection rather than just gunning forward to the next post/drawing. I used to write frequently to a friend via snail mail, and I got into the mindset of taking mental notes throughout the day about what I wanted to write to her about. I find myself doing that with you as well.
Here is what I have been chewing on the last few days:
“In essentials, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, charity.” -St. Augustine
I find this quote to be extremely applicable to the present political circumstance. I tend to take the side of “we don’t know all of the facts, so how are we to judge what really took place” in regards to the Zimmerman trial. That being said, at the same time I feel extreme concern and commiseration and guilt for the blatant racial profiling and overall anxiety that many people feel as a result of Zimmerman being acquitted of all charges. This is where I find the quote applicable. The essentials that most of us I think can agree upon is, is that if there is any racial profiling of any kind going on, we need to do anything in our power to get that to stop, because it is ridiculous and scary. The doubt I have is in regards to a number of things: 1) the ability for the court of law to actually make sound judgements, 2) what actually did happen that night, 3) the accuracy of the information that we are being fed from the media. However, I love Augustine’s final line “in all things, charity.” The doubt we have doesn’t matter, we need to remain focused and steadfast in our personal commitment to morality and living a life that is just and giving. Whatever happened that night, was a horrific and gross example of how much pain there is in the world. Unfortunately, like most things in America it is once again dividing us into two polarizing camps. Both camps need to recognize each other and the fear that we all feel when we feel threatened. Instead of focusing our minds on ourselves, or what our party says we should believe, follow St. Augustine’s creed and focus on charity. 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.”
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In a completely unrelated and almost antithetical end, I give you my cheerful drawing today. This drawing is a study for a larger project I am working on. You can purchase this drawing at my Etsy shop: My Quiet House
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