Patience and Priviledge

Today a young white woman walkes into the office and tells me she is so upset by the war & all the awful things that are happening in our world – so very upset in fact, that she cannot bare to listen to the news or read the papers or even glance at the internet.

She talks for a long time about how fragile she is, how she can just take little doses at a time, how she has to focus on her job, her home, her family – or else she gets soooooooo overwhelmed.

She wants me to agree that I too have to protect myself from knowing too much or even I would get overwhelmed & unable to move.

I tell her actually being aware of what is happening in the world, especially in our country and in our name, infuriates me & provides me with tons of energy to work for change.

I tell her it is only when do not make room in my life for awareness and consciousness – when I don’t make room for these things but when I try to live my life as usual – when I try to work as usual, try to do all the things that are supposed to be important, at least in times of peace, when I try to maintain my social life, my business life, all those things, that’s when I feel overwhelmed.

I say we HAVE to change our lives – we are in war. We cannot go on as usual – for the Iraq women cannot go on as usual, and they are sacrificing so we can continue our lives as usual. They are sacrificing not just their jobs, their homes, their schools, but the lives of their children & their own lives.

I saw the kernel of understanding flicker across her face as I spoke. Finally she tells me I am right, she has not been making room in her life for awareness, but has been piling awareness on top of complacency and life as usual. I invite her to the next CodePINK meeting – we’ll see!