The Gift

#1856 - Tonight I overheard talk about gas prices on The Bill O'Reilly show. A woman was trying to talk about the long-term future, Bill O'Reilly interrupted, "I don't care about long-term! I don't care!" I thought, "That's where we differ Mr. O'Reilly, I do care about the long-term future."

But later as I was driving, I realized, no that is not really how we are different. How we are different is that while he stated his opinion forcefully overriding another's, my internal reply was stated softy and calmly, and as I felt it, I could also feel the strength.

#1857 - There are few things I, "Know for Sure," but as I was driving 60mph on a 70 mph highway (gas mileage generally decreases after 60), the cars speeding past me helped me to think of one of them.

WE


HAVE


TO


SLOW


DOWN.

#1858 - When I am driving between 9-10pm, I'm probably listening to The Story on NPR. Tonight the first half of the show featured Aqeela Sherrill, a former gang member who is now a peacemaker. He brokered a peace agreement between the Bloods and the Crips, and is a leader in his community. I felt nourished and supported by the program.

#1859 - By far the moment that most affected me was when Aqueela was asked about his response to his son's murder. This is what he said,

"In every tragedy, there is a gift...
We have to be present
to the pain of it
long enough
for the actual gift
to arise from it.
It wasn't, it hasn't been easy.
It took everything in me
to sit
and to hold space
for the gift to manifest itself."

-Aqeela Sherrill

#1860 - Tonight I am so grateful it is a blog night, to have an outlet to write, share and feed.