Questions Put to the Sick

[The Stage is on Fire] is a page-turner in which, much like life, there are no easy answers and yet each step of the journey yields insight and hope. This work of heart must not be missed!

Melanie Faith

Creative Writing Teacher, Essayist & Poet.

Katie Steedly’s first-person piece [The Unspeakable Gift] is a riveting retelling of her participation in a National Institutes of Health study that aided her quest to come to grips with her life of living with a rare genetic disorder. Her writing is superb.

The Society of Professional Journalists

In recognition of receiving the Dateline Award for the Washingtonian Magazine essay, The Unspeakable Gift.

I thank you … It is the authenticity of your “class notes”; and it is the delicacy and skill with which you present the nuances of classroom life and the actuality of your students’ and fellow teachers’ lives.

Maxine Greene

Philosopher and Education Scholar

Enter your email here to receive Weekly Wide-Awake

back

Questions Put to the Sick

“When was the last time you sang?” – Question put to the sick by a Native American Medicine Man

Note: In a writing class last summer I was asked to write a letter to myself from my guardian angel. That was the last time I remember singing.

Dear Katie,

At this time when the scars and wounds and cruelty of our world have been laid bare. At this time when tears have flowed in search of soft hearts that will not abide violence. At this time when lies have rolled from the lips of the most powerful. At this time when abuses of power have made you question decency, morality, and love itself.

I want you to be still and know.

Be still and know that love wins.

Always. Love wins. Always. Fear and terror and pain do not win. Injustice and hatred and evil do not win. Cynicism and greed and sadness do not win.

Be still and know that your light makes a difference.

You must not be silent. Your voice has never been more important. Your hands must do their vital work. Your heart must not grow numb. Your mind must not lose its imagination. Peace and justice are born there. Your soul must not yield to chaos. At these times your soul must be on fire.

Be still and know the power of connection.

There is strength in reaching out. Remember marching. Remember serving. Remember working. Remember teaching. Remember campaigning. Remember voting. Therein lies the power of the most sacred and right and loving force.

Be still and know that you are seen and loved.

When you forget that you are seen and loved, it is easy to fall into an abyss of distance, indifference, and despair. It becomes easy to forget the importance of simply loving one another. Do not forget that you are loved. Do not forget your call to love others.

Be still and know the power of your truth.

You have learned your lessons well. Don’t be an asshole. Forgive others 7 times 70. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Love one another. Stay connected to calm waters during storms. Stay connected to light when darkness surrounds you. Stay connected to resilience when you want to quit. Stay connected to your truth when lies surround you. Stay connected. Stay connected. Stay connected.

Let stillness overcome you when noise fills your mind.

Let stillness overcome you when anger rips your heart. Let stillness overcome you when you are confused about the difference between stillness and paralysis. Stillness is not paralysis. Stillness is the active pursuit of a mindful response to the inhumane, the unjust, the evil. Stillness is fire and ice. Stillness is gratitude in the face of challenge. Stillness is peace at the edge.

Right now. In this moment. In this time when generations are at stake. Be still and know. Breathe. Dance. Work. Move. Laugh. Talk. Hug. Do whatever it takes to stay soft and fierce.

Love. 1,000 times. Love.

Your Guardian Angel

https://kitt.global/april-6-questions-put-to-the-sick-i-mark-nepo-the-book-of-awakening/