Wonderful writing. Thanks for digging up that gem from the past and sharing it. Reminds me of c.s.lewis book called the last battle in terms of those serving the one true God as if under another name, yet from a pure place.
"I remembered the Nubian sailor, his face chiseled as if from obsidian, long robe billowing behind him as he stood proud and tall, guiding his boat through the water. He had shown me profound beauty in the flow of the river, the bending of the reeds, the curve of the banks, the unbearable blueness of the sky. In those few hours he had enlightened me in ways that all my hours in church had not."
(I was raised in a fundamentalist catholic school, and what you conclude is so perfect)
"It was sad leaving the land of the Nubian, but not the land of Nasser."
(perfectly said, the controversial paralell shapes of reality, and the intuitive/sensitive perception of them)
Wonderful Karen, beautiful way to describe the strongest and poetical lessons in life from people who we cross for a moment perhaps, but last with us forever... you tell them so vivid... and what destile from these encounters and histories, are so important to keep in mind and heart today.
I'm so moved by this, Karen. It's a masterpiece of writing, wrapped around a story of deep beauty and grace. Thank you for writing it; thank you for sharing it. I feel like I understand you and your path in life a little better. And I'm inspired to find ways to do more to make a difference. ❤️
Your article was powerful. I too must be about your same age. I was not blessed to travel when I was young but I wanted to. When I was 17 I volunteered at church to be a counselor at a kids’s camp in Cincinnati, all urban kids , mostly black. In Kentucky in my county we did not know any black people. None lived where I was from.
My Co-counselor was a black girl my age. We became friends the first day.
She seemed surprised by my friendship. I didn’t know why at the time.
Later she explained the prejudice in Cincinnati schools . She and her black friends had separate swim classes at school for PE. That made no sense to me whatever. I swam on a swim team most summers. Water was water. Swimming was swimming. How could doing it at different times make any difference whatsoever?!
When we were showering one of my of my little 3rd graders shouted “ oh no! I forgot my towel!”
I shouted back, “ No problem I’ll hand you mine as I was just out “. She poked her cute little face out of the shower curtain and asked me, “ You gonna let me use your towel?” Quite incredulous that I as a white gurl would do such a thing. I replied “sure.”
She smiled really big and took it.
I never have forgotten that experience. Never. And have always sought to live my life seeing people for who they are not what skin color they were born with. My husband and I have lived with Native Americans … First Nations people and call many friends. We’ve lived in Europe and traveled and taken many medical groups all over the world to attend the Dick and share Jesus. But not share religion. We have friends everywhere.
"It’s very hard for westerners to believe this because it goes against what we have been raised to believe. That there is separation of church and state. That all people have the right to worship as they wish and that religion becoming a part of government is a danger we should avoid at all costs. So many people came to America escaping persecution in order to worship freely. It’s almost as if it's in our blood."
Sadly, this might have been true at some point and may still be in some places, but here in America we are getting more and more brazen examples of how some Christians seem intent on reversing this. The AL Supreme Court ruling on IVF being a recent example in which the chief justice of that court wrote a concurring opinion that repeatedly cited Christian texts (most prominently the Bible), beliefs, and theologians in justifying his decision, far more than it cited actual AL (or any) law. He has made comments for years that his primary guide in judgements is his god, as he believes he will answer to that God for eternity and this job (and his oath to uphold the Constitution of the state and country) are only temporary. Thus, if the law or Constitution conflicts with his faith, well, his faith will win, and he will try to find ways to twist the law to justify that if possible, but if not oh well.
And the politicians who appointed and supported this man are many of the same who rail against Sharia law. But a theocracy is always going to become dangerous to those who don't subscribe to the faith that rules, or even those who do but don't hew closely enough, or in the same way as, those in power. It would be great if those who want to institute such a system here could learn from Sharia systems why that might not be such a good idea, but they're too busy believing their faith is superior to all others and thus it's okay as long as it's their particular strain of religion that is in charge.
I hope by sharing my experiences it might open some people's eyes. I fear extremism is pushing Americans into two separate camps and all each side wants to do is impose their beliefs on the other side. I have a strong faith and would call myself a follower of Jesus, for me this is the best way to describe my faith in this day and age. But I would never seek to impose my faith on others. I learned firsthand where that leads.
Yes, I can see that, and I hope your experience opens some eyes. I fear, though, that there is an element that extreme followers of all religions have in common: they all believe that as long as they think what they do is ordered by their God, then that's all they need consider. Killing on a massive scale has happened in the name of all the major religions in the world. And, while the AL court decision is not the same as killing infidels (although it and decisions in the same stead could lead to imprisonment of those who don't have the same beliefs), like you, I fear that if such religious authority is allowed to further infiltrate our or any government, then the masses will begin to act in more extreme ways too. Right now, people who bomb abortion clinics in the name of some god are still outliers, but if we allow a religious doctrine to become law, I have great fear that not only will the clinics be in more danger until they no longer exist, but then at that point anyone who voices any kind of belief or even question about that issue-among others-will find their freedom and their life in danger. And I believe firmly that that is something we can't allow. However, as I stated earlier in this comment, there problem is that those who believe a god has commanded them to ensure that that deity's rules become the law of the land often have no such qualms, so therefore even well-written stories like yours won't stop them. They believe they are on a divine mission and their eternal soul is at stake. So, the question is, what WILL give them pause?
I agree. If we look at history, the pendulum swings back and forth. We have some years of sanity, of balance and then all hell breaks lose. Communism was a kind of extreme religion, too. Adherence to "The Science" can be the same. I don't have much hope of my stories changing that. Certainly there are much bigger voices than mine that haven't succeeded. Perhaps it is part of the yin and the yang of the universe, a constant struggle to maintain balance between two extremes. I fear now that whichever side wins in America they will be so filled with hate for the other side that they will throw common decency to the winds and seek revenge on those who are now their enemies. It's a very scary time.
Agreed! I have often wondered if the pendulum is really picking up speed in the wrong direction for America (and other societies and possibly the whole world), as it seems there has never been a society that has managed to maintain balance for all that long in the grand scheme of things. For us to think we are the exception is hubris.
I feel ill every time I hear a politician or pundit proclaim "America is the greatest country on Earth and always will be... Unless you vote for the other team, then we'll all live in a nightmare". Or when someone says we shouldn't send aid to anyone being invaded or persecuted because we should just take care of our own country (but then fail to even do that), as though any nation can actually exist in a vaccuum! Because I fear that the universe has a massive reality check in store, and it won't be pretty or pleasant. It's hard, for me, not to feel a bit jaded and hopeless about the state of the world.
In any case, thank you for the dialogue and sharing your stories. It gives me hope that there are others out there, including (some) people of faith, who still believe in balance, and in listening to and learning from the experiences of others.
Wonderful writing. Thanks for digging up that gem from the past and sharing it. Reminds me of c.s.lewis book called the last battle in terms of those serving the one true God as if under another name, yet from a pure place.
Yes! I often think of that part of The Last Battle and I want to include it in one of my essays. So powerful.
"I remembered the Nubian sailor, his face chiseled as if from obsidian, long robe billowing behind him as he stood proud and tall, guiding his boat through the water. He had shown me profound beauty in the flow of the river, the bending of the reeds, the curve of the banks, the unbearable blueness of the sky. In those few hours he had enlightened me in ways that all my hours in church had not."
(I was raised in a fundamentalist catholic school, and what you conclude is so perfect)
"It was sad leaving the land of the Nubian, but not the land of Nasser."
(perfectly said, the controversial paralell shapes of reality, and the intuitive/sensitive perception of them)
Wonderful Karen, beautiful way to describe the strongest and poetical lessons in life from people who we cross for a moment perhaps, but last with us forever... you tell them so vivid... and what destile from these encounters and histories, are so important to keep in mind and heart today.
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you.
Really beautiful written memories, what an adventure your parents took you on! I look forward to more of your writing....
Thank you
I'm so moved by this, Karen. It's a masterpiece of writing, wrapped around a story of deep beauty and grace. Thank you for writing it; thank you for sharing it. I feel like I understand you and your path in life a little better. And I'm inspired to find ways to do more to make a difference. ❤️
Thank you.
Your article was powerful. I too must be about your same age. I was not blessed to travel when I was young but I wanted to. When I was 17 I volunteered at church to be a counselor at a kids’s camp in Cincinnati, all urban kids , mostly black. In Kentucky in my county we did not know any black people. None lived where I was from.
My Co-counselor was a black girl my age. We became friends the first day.
She seemed surprised by my friendship. I didn’t know why at the time.
Later she explained the prejudice in Cincinnati schools . She and her black friends had separate swim classes at school for PE. That made no sense to me whatever. I swam on a swim team most summers. Water was water. Swimming was swimming. How could doing it at different times make any difference whatsoever?!
When we were showering one of my of my little 3rd graders shouted “ oh no! I forgot my towel!”
I shouted back, “ No problem I’ll hand you mine as I was just out “. She poked her cute little face out of the shower curtain and asked me, “ You gonna let me use your towel?” Quite incredulous that I as a white gurl would do such a thing. I replied “sure.”
She smiled really big and took it.
I never have forgotten that experience. Never. And have always sought to live my life seeing people for who they are not what skin color they were born with. My husband and I have lived with Native Americans … First Nations people and call many friends. We’ve lived in Europe and traveled and taken many medical groups all over the world to attend the Dick and share Jesus. But not share religion. We have friends everywhere.
Thank you for your posts. I read them faithfully.
BB
It's a strange world, isn't it. Thank you for the kind comments.
And, true to yourself you are standing up against wrong Karen. Beautiful post, thank you.
Thank you
Beautifully written Karen - thank you for sharing ...
You're welcome.
Thank you for sharing your experiences.
"It’s very hard for westerners to believe this because it goes against what we have been raised to believe. That there is separation of church and state. That all people have the right to worship as they wish and that religion becoming a part of government is a danger we should avoid at all costs. So many people came to America escaping persecution in order to worship freely. It’s almost as if it's in our blood."
Sadly, this might have been true at some point and may still be in some places, but here in America we are getting more and more brazen examples of how some Christians seem intent on reversing this. The AL Supreme Court ruling on IVF being a recent example in which the chief justice of that court wrote a concurring opinion that repeatedly cited Christian texts (most prominently the Bible), beliefs, and theologians in justifying his decision, far more than it cited actual AL (or any) law. He has made comments for years that his primary guide in judgements is his god, as he believes he will answer to that God for eternity and this job (and his oath to uphold the Constitution of the state and country) are only temporary. Thus, if the law or Constitution conflicts with his faith, well, his faith will win, and he will try to find ways to twist the law to justify that if possible, but if not oh well.
And the politicians who appointed and supported this man are many of the same who rail against Sharia law. But a theocracy is always going to become dangerous to those who don't subscribe to the faith that rules, or even those who do but don't hew closely enough, or in the same way as, those in power. It would be great if those who want to institute such a system here could learn from Sharia systems why that might not be such a good idea, but they're too busy believing their faith is superior to all others and thus it's okay as long as it's their particular strain of religion that is in charge.
I hope by sharing my experiences it might open some people's eyes. I fear extremism is pushing Americans into two separate camps and all each side wants to do is impose their beliefs on the other side. I have a strong faith and would call myself a follower of Jesus, for me this is the best way to describe my faith in this day and age. But I would never seek to impose my faith on others. I learned firsthand where that leads.
Yes, I can see that, and I hope your experience opens some eyes. I fear, though, that there is an element that extreme followers of all religions have in common: they all believe that as long as they think what they do is ordered by their God, then that's all they need consider. Killing on a massive scale has happened in the name of all the major religions in the world. And, while the AL court decision is not the same as killing infidels (although it and decisions in the same stead could lead to imprisonment of those who don't have the same beliefs), like you, I fear that if such religious authority is allowed to further infiltrate our or any government, then the masses will begin to act in more extreme ways too. Right now, people who bomb abortion clinics in the name of some god are still outliers, but if we allow a religious doctrine to become law, I have great fear that not only will the clinics be in more danger until they no longer exist, but then at that point anyone who voices any kind of belief or even question about that issue-among others-will find their freedom and their life in danger. And I believe firmly that that is something we can't allow. However, as I stated earlier in this comment, there problem is that those who believe a god has commanded them to ensure that that deity's rules become the law of the land often have no such qualms, so therefore even well-written stories like yours won't stop them. They believe they are on a divine mission and their eternal soul is at stake. So, the question is, what WILL give them pause?
I agree. If we look at history, the pendulum swings back and forth. We have some years of sanity, of balance and then all hell breaks lose. Communism was a kind of extreme religion, too. Adherence to "The Science" can be the same. I don't have much hope of my stories changing that. Certainly there are much bigger voices than mine that haven't succeeded. Perhaps it is part of the yin and the yang of the universe, a constant struggle to maintain balance between two extremes. I fear now that whichever side wins in America they will be so filled with hate for the other side that they will throw common decency to the winds and seek revenge on those who are now their enemies. It's a very scary time.
Agreed! I have often wondered if the pendulum is really picking up speed in the wrong direction for America (and other societies and possibly the whole world), as it seems there has never been a society that has managed to maintain balance for all that long in the grand scheme of things. For us to think we are the exception is hubris.
I feel ill every time I hear a politician or pundit proclaim "America is the greatest country on Earth and always will be... Unless you vote for the other team, then we'll all live in a nightmare". Or when someone says we shouldn't send aid to anyone being invaded or persecuted because we should just take care of our own country (but then fail to even do that), as though any nation can actually exist in a vaccuum! Because I fear that the universe has a massive reality check in store, and it won't be pretty or pleasant. It's hard, for me, not to feel a bit jaded and hopeless about the state of the world.
In any case, thank you for the dialogue and sharing your stories. It gives me hope that there are others out there, including (some) people of faith, who still believe in balance, and in listening to and learning from the experiences of others.
🙏 it gives me hope when there are still those who can actually have a dialogue, it's rare these days!
A beautiful read. Thank you very much!
Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this.
My 60s were school and then engineering studies. The travels in those countries came later, working in clean-air projects.
No god and bible needed to go that way.
Everyone has their own journey.
Beautiful story
Thank you.
This was beautiful to listen to. 🙏🏾
Thank you.
Haven't really progressed much have we? Except we can really destroy everything now.