Without a Doubt

“Hope is not empty optimism springing from a naive confidence that the future will necessarily be better than the past. Hope and trust are the premise of responsible activity and are nurtured in that inner sanctuary of conscience where ‘man is alone with God’ and thus perceives that he is not alone amid the enigmas of existence, for he is surrounded by the love of the Creator!” – Pope John Paul II

 

Today began as an ordinary day.  I went through my normal routine for getting ready for work, and I arrived to work shortly after 8 am, as I usually do.  I immediately gathered my supplies and headed out to the local homeless services center.  The first client we were supposed to meet with did not show up, and so I met with another client.  After meeting with this client, I decided to “mingle” by being with all those watching the inauguration from the meager comforts of the cafeteria of this homeless services center. 

 

It is a plain room, with regular, neutrally-colored tile, white walls, and white-plastic fold-out chairs and tables.  There is not usually a TV in the room, but even in one of the most conservative areas of our country, somehow the historical importance of the moment warranted the extra effort to facilitate the common viewing of the nation’s first African-American President being sworn into office.  The room, though neutrally decorated, was filled with the radiant faces that beamed in colors reminiscent of those found in mosaics.  They were the faces of those who could truly be considered in secular terms to be “just the average Joe,” those who in religious terms would be “the least of these.”

 

Looking around, I saw African American people and Caucasian people.  I saw people who seemed utterly worn by their daily struggles to simply survive, and I saw people going about their daily business.  I also saw a few people who were so engulfed by their seemingly-desperate situation that they could not stop long enough to be present in the historical moment unfolding before their eyes.  I saw African Americans who voted for the other guy, and I saw Caucasian Americans celebrating the accomplishment of our nation’s first African American President, cheering and clapping as President Obama spoke what felt like prophetic words of wisdom.

 

I saw people cramming in to a small space, patiently waiting their turn to do their laundry in some of the most public washing machines in central Texas.  The one thing that struck me the most, however, is that I also saw a group of people who were hoping.  Yes, I know, so cliché now that Barack Obama is President, but hope is the foundation of the work I do with my clients, and it moved my heart to see my clients hoping in way that somehow extended their concern beyond a merely individualistic hope to a hope that encompassed the idea of ‘the other.’  Today, I saw my clients hope, not only for a better tomorrow in their lives, but also for a better tomorrow in yours and mine.  I saw a man stand up, command their attention, and reflect their deep hope for a better future.

 

No matter what political affiliation you have, at least one thing is undeniable; the power of positive thinking and positive acting can breed hope in even the least hopeful.  Hope is not the only component of a strong foundation for a better future, but it is one of the most important.  Hope is what lets us dream, and without dreams, we linger in stagnation and discouragement.  Hope is what lets us imagine, and without imagination, we cannot be creators of a new world.  Hope is what lets us experience the fullness of our humanity, and by feeling human and helping others to feel human, we can restore the dignity and worth of every human being to its rightful place in our priorities.

 

It is my hope that we can all have the strength, courage, and fortitude to hope beyond the shadow of doubt.  So let us dream the dreams we had before the weight of the world bore down upon us, let us imagine a brave new world, and let us experience the full capacity of our being by living the hope we have for ourselves and for our world.

Faith Restored, Hope Endures

I have always been an optimist.  I am known for smiling, not always, but very often.  I truly believe that it is part of my innate nature to be happy and to hope.  Many people have described me as ‘idealistic,’ ‘unrealistic,’ and as ‘caring too much.’  They may have meant these as cut-downs, but I took them as compliments. 

 

I believe that it is important for us (human beings) to hope.  We not only face great personal obstacles, but we also face some of the greatest obstacles known to the human race.  If we spent any amount of time thinking about such things, we would have good reason to be pessimistic and doubtful; however, despite these things, I continue to hope and to work toward building a better future.

 

I have to admit, even for the optimist that I am, I was feeling completely disgusted with the last eight years in this country.  In fact, I am angry and appalled.  I cannot complain too much, as I helped to put W. Bush into the position he is in, and that is a decision I will always regret.  Although I take a degree of responsibility for my small part in this situation, I also know that I was not the only one to carry the burden of that decision; that decision was made in unison by many others, many of which did not have the best intentions at heart for our country.  So, I guess you could say that I am excited and happy that Barack Obama is our next President of the United States of America. 

 

For me, Obama’s campaign has meant many personal losses.  I have lost friends who don’t agree with me that it is o.k. to be Catholic and still vote for Barack Obama; these same friends thought I was going to hell (I am not joking about that) if I did vote for Barack Obama.  It has also caused rifts in my family, as the majority of my family members are super-conservative Catholics who mainly talk about what they believe, but they don’t know the details of why they believe it.  They also believe that Catholic Social Teaching consists entirely of one issue…abortion.  What they do not know (or what they know but choose to ignore) is that Catholic Social Teaching encompasses ALL pro-life issues (not just abortion), AND it encompasses social justice issues.  This situation inevitably leads to some pretty hairy conversations about the election and about having an African American in the White House. 

 

I have tried to take it all with a grain of salt and remind myself that, ‘This, too, shall pass.’  My sisters, however, may not have fared as well because they live near my family and have to attend family functions on a regular basis (anyone who knows me knows that my family is SERIOUS about celebrating birthdays individually for everyone in the family; that means we see each other VERY often).  One of my extended family members will inevitably say something that is very ignorant and/or close-minded, and an argument inevitably ensues.  I, on the other hand, live in Texas, so by reason of the long journey to Oklahoma that would be required of me, I am exempt from that responsibility, which I think makes it easier for me to take it all with a grain of salt. 

 

Despite all of this, however, I remain optimistic and hopeful.  No, I don’t see Barack as the savior of our country; I do see him as a leader who builds consensus and who truly has the common good at heart in all of the decisions he makes.  He will not be perfect, and I am sure that there will be things that he does with which I do not agree; however, I know my voice will be heard and considered before every decision is made.  That is far more than I can say for W.

 

So when I look at the fact that an African American family will be living in the White House, my faith in the judgment of the people in this country is restored; my faith in hope endures.

Food For Thought 8.01.08

“The training of social workers
enables them to help people
to adjust themselves
to the existing environment.

The training of social workers
does not enable them
to help people
to change the environment.

Social workers
must become social minded
before they can be
critics of the existing environment
and free creative agents
of the new environment.

In the Houses of Hospitality
social workers can aquire
the art of human contacts
and the social-mindedness
or understanding of social forces
which will make them
critical of the existing environment
and free creative agents
of a new environment.”

–Peter Maurin, Co-Founder of the Catholic Worker Movement

Do not be fooled by the cheese…

I decided to write this blog after eating at a TGIFriday’s in Buenos Aires.  My husband and I went there for the happy hour specials one evening, and we had an experience that will make us never return.  You know government cheese?  Well, this was much worse.  In fact, had I had some government cheese at the time, I would have happily used it.  We ordered our drinks (we should have gone with the beer, but that’s a different story), and we also ordered some potato skins and buffalo wings as appetizers.  I noticed as the waitress brought the potato skins that something on top seemed to be glowing.  As the potato skins arrived at our table, I realized it was the cheese…it was literally glowing neon orange!  I decided to carpe the diem and dive right in…boy was that a bad idea.  The neon-orange substance that was trying to pass for cheese was absolutely disgusting.  It was gritty, it had a plastic covering over the top of it, and it tasted awfully unlike anything I have ever tasted before.  I am not sure if it was the result of TGIFriday’s trying to maintain product supply costs at an optimally minimum level or if it was a horrible attempt at pleasing the audience, but whatever it was, it was absolutely disgusting.  I actually gagged while eating it.  The worst part was that I looked around the bar, and people were actually eating and enjoying this crazy substance.  What in the world?  I have tasted some of the best cheese ever while being here…why can’t they just shred some of that, put it over the top of the potato halves and bake?  What is so hard about that?  Who knows.  All I know is, I was not fooled by the cheese…

A Call for Sainthood…

Throughout history, there have been many saints.  Some have been named for doing gloriously splendid and grand things, and others have been named for their personal piety and dedication to being a living example of humility and selflessness.  We may hear more about the grandeur of certain saints than we do about the the mundane struggles of most others, but it is within simplicity that deep complexity exists.  This is because life is not lived or defined by great hallmarks, although that is what many history books may portray; life is lived and defined in the minutia of everyday existence.  Anyone who truly cares about or loves the person next to them understands this concept very well.

Season five of one of my favorite TV shows has begun, and Anthony Bourdain No Reservations is off to a great start.  The first episode finds Tony in Laos, a mysteriously enchanted place that Tony has always wanted to visit.  This culinary and cultural adventure was not what I expected from a man who is known more for the volume of drinking, smoking and irreverent humor that he usually packs into every show than for his “soft side.”  However, something about being in a small country that was host to a secret war perpetrated by the United States government during the Vietnam War makes Tony turn softy, at least for this episode.  His tone and his body language convey the respect he has for a people who have had to live with the consequences of U.S. bombers dropping left-over bombs on Laos on their way back from their mission in Vietnam…millions of unexploded ordinance lay scattered across some of the most beautiful terrain on earth.  These unexploded bombs have claimed the lives and limbs of many Laotians that were not part of and do not even remember the Vietnam War.  

There is one scene in particular that seemed to pull…no…yank at my tear-ducts.  Tony and his guide have just watched UXO find and explode some of the bombs that have been left behind almost forty years ago, and they meet a man and his family for some lunch.  The man lost both his left arm and left leg after stepping on unexploded ordinance, which means that the main bread-winner of the family is maimed for life.  In one instant, Tony does something that many social workers and psychologists know is VERY powerful in its potential to heal and bind wounds; Tony asks the man if he is angry about what happened.  It was at that moment that I knew that what conversation ensued would be very simply profound.  I knew in one instant that a question addressing the affective portion of that man’s being would elicit a profoundly simple and profoundly honest response because in a country that is as close to undeveloped as you can get in this age of globalization, people do not have time to be un-authentic.  I knew this also because anyone who has ever spent time in a developing nation knows the humility and honesty of a citizen not in power is inversely related to the level of development of their country of residence.  The man’s response is brief and simple, yet it conveys a depth of suffering and lost dreams only known by him and his family.

With this episode, the show has officially become more than just another travel show expounding upon the culinary and cultural adventures of one Anthony Bourdain.  The show now has an official third dimension, that of offering social clarity to situations that are not so clear in the beginning.  Tony has a way with words, and he uses this to his advantage, to the advantage of the viewers, and to the advantage of those whose stories he tells.  As one who considers herself an advocate for marginalized people, I appreciate this about Tony’s show.  To me, what Tony is doing is the work of a saint, and a worthy way to spend the dollars of his financiers.