All of us all over the world, are cells in the body of humanity. You are not separate from your fellow humans, and you cannot find harmony for yourself alone. You can only find harmony when you realize the oneness of all and work for the good of all.~Peace Pilgrim
As I turned the page over on my calendar yesterday, these words greeted me. Actually, they seemed more to punch me in the stomach. They seemed so timely to me. It was like being drawn into the practice some people I know used to have of opening the Bible and letting their finger drop a certain place. There they would find whatever it was they felt they needed for the day. I am pleased that this works for some but it never has for me. I fear I have to do much more scraping and wrestling to find the nuggets of wisdom I need.
But given the news that is coming out of Indiana and Arkansas, I read these words with wonder and a certain longing. I wondered what would happen in our world if we held these words close to our hearts, allowed them to guide our actions, our decisions. They seem such truth to me but it is clear, given the movements of certain people in these states, that these words and their sentiments, are not the values of all. I have to admit it is a head scratcher for me. And it breaks my heart.
Of course, reading the calendar words led me to discover who the writer was. Peace Pilgrim. I thought I was fairly safe in thinking this was a chosen rather than a given name. (I only spun around in the ‘what name would I choose for myself?’ place for a few minutes.) And it was true. Peace Pilgrim, born Mildred Norman in 1908, was a peace activist and the first woman to walk the length of the Appalachian Trail. She gave her life over to educating and spreading the message of peace in a spiritual way though never tied herself to any particular faith tradition. She walked by faith….not carrying money, had no financial backing, relied on those she met for food and shelter. Seems I remember a certain prophet encouraging such behavior 2000 years ago. Peace Pilgrim spent her life walking back and forth across this country spreading a message of peace and good will to all she met. She began walking in 1953 and continued bringing this message for over 28 years. She walked through the Korean War and the Vietnam War crossing the United States nearly 20 times. Ironically, she was killed in while riding in a car on her way to Knox, Indiana on her way to give a talk about…..our oneness….our inability to separate ourselves from one another…..the pursuit of the common good.
Looking at the calendar whose little squares offer wisdom to me each day, I felt blessed by Peace Pilgrim’s words. They gave me hope and helped me feel connected to something larger. Listening to and reading the news over the last days has made me a little crazy. And frankly a little frightened. I wonder at how, with all we know of the ways the Universe works, of how intricately woven together we are with one another and the ways of the Creation, how anyone can consciously choose to exclude another. The fact that this behavior is also driven by an understanding of faith boggles my mind.
It is enough to start a person walking….and walking….and walking. I think of Peace Pilgrim walking across the country, stopping in small town diners and city squares, waiting for someone to come up and talk to her. What did those conversations sound like? What words were spoken? How often was she welcomed and how often rejected? What did she do to buoy herself up against the harsh voices who saw the world differently, who wanted to create clear lines of separation and do so in the name of God?
I haven’t reflected enough on this all to see why this gift was handed to me in the midst of Holy Week. But I have a sense there is something to learn in it all. For this moment on Holy Thursday, I am simply thankful for the words and life of Peace Pilgrim and for how she has shown me the face of Jesus….the great welcomer…the voice for the common good….the teacher of inclusion and love.
May this message cast its spell on all those who might think otherwise on this day, this holy day.
