Joyous Outrage – not words that seem to go together, right?   Stay with me…

Last night I pulled an oracle card, and my card was, “Power of Joy. ”  The card invited me to consider that when we come from a place of joy, we connect to our purpose. Even though I believe this, I found myself questioning if embracing joy was the wisest choice when we’re living with so much injustice and fear in our world right now.

In the wake of covid19, George Floyd’s murder, and a multitude of other events, I was feeling challenged to embrace joy in the face of horrific injustices. Then I realized choosing joy is the wisest choice.   The events of our world are exactly why we need to stay connected to what brings us joy.

In the saying, “time flies when you’re having fun”, we’re reminded how we wish we could stop the clock, press pause, and savor the moment, right?  Here’s a few of my moments of joy…

1. …when I held my sleeping infant daughter in my arms and digitally recorded her tiny sounds as she breathed.
2. …the night I pulled my wet 3-yr old out of the tub and dressed her faster than a Ninja because Santa was coming on the fire truck outside.  Her high pitched squeals of excitement literally made me cry.
3. …and then the simple beauty of seeing flowers in a vase I love, hearing the birds chirp, witnessing children play.

Just for a moment here, close your eyes and think about what brings you true joy.  Ok, got it?  Now, hold onto that for a minute.

George Floyd’s death has both, brought our nation together, and illuminated where we’re still grossly divided.  With our peaceful protestors there are also opportunistic looters. One blurs into the other as our nation splits into what’s right, what’s wrong, as we forget the entire point of the peaceful protestors.   I stand with the protestors.  I stand up for Peaceful Intolerance.   I stand for claiming justice and joy for ALL humans.

Have the hard conversations.  Act on the social injustices you witness.  As history continues to repeat itself, I’ve felt ashamed to be a white woman when I see the inequities around me.  George Floyd death is not an isolated incident; it’s a systemic reminder of what needs to change.   Our enraged country, and our world is screaming, “Enough!”

ENOUGH!  Enough to the injustice.  Enough to the divide.   Enough to rights for some, and not for others.

What can we do if we’re not able to physically protest?   How can we bring the change we want to see? That’s what I’ve been sitting with.  What can I actually do?

As trite as it sounds, I can embrace joy.  Even in my outrage.  I can be joyously outraged as I’m reminded all lives matter.  Black lives matter.  Trans lives matter.   Children’s voices matter. Elderly voices matter.  And right now more than ever, we need to stand in solidarity that #Black Lives Matter.

Hitler divided us. Hitler decided who was worthy to live based on the color of their skin, the size or shape of their head, or the name someone had.  And now our leader is dividing us with those same criteria. I don’t know what kind of pain our president is in, but I do know we cannot afford to let his wounds lead this country anymore.

We need empathy, not tweets. 

Action Challenge:

Here’s some steps I’m taking as I’m not able to physically protest right now.  Maybe this will spark some ideas for you, too.

1. Create a Sign to display in your window or on your lawn that promotes Peace, Social Justice, that supports equality for all lives, particularly those whose lives are marginalized in our society.
2. Join (or create) a group to embrace and embody Anti-Racism and Social Justice as you move into activism around how to end the divide.
3. Join the Peaceful Protestors and be Peacefully Intolerant
4. Read books to educate yourself on racism, especially if you’re white.   Ibram X. Kendi, How to be an Anti-Racist, is a great place to start, as well as Non-Violent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg.
5. Write to your state’s leaders, your governors, your congressman, or even to The White House.
6. Sign a variety of petitions honoring the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
7. Watch the film Just Mercy.
8. Support Owners of Black Owned Bookstores.

Back to joy.   If it’s true that our joy leads to our purpose, then I want to focus on what brings me joy.   Beauty.  Nature.  Space.  Writing.  My daughter.  Yoga.  Practicing compassion. Empathy. Deep Listening. Connection. Health.   As I type this, here’s my view, and it brings me joy.

What brings you joy?  What connects you to you?    When I invited you to close your eyes earlier, what joyful memories sparked in you?  Do more of that!  I hope you’ll join me in using *YOUR* voice, to step into what matters most to you.

I hope you’ll be Joyously Outraged and Peacefully Intolerant of what you’ll no longer accept when you see injustices. Here’s a quote that reminds us that an injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

I’ll be launching an online series on Compassion, Listening and Empathy, a way to Connect You to You.  If you’re not already in my community and want to be notified of upcoming workshops, talks or events, join my community here.

I’m grateful to have you as part of my tribe.  Until we meet again…

~Chris