Light-Flinging

Wouldn’t it be fun

If instead of mud-slinging,

People and politics were more about light-flinging?

What needs to seen?

What’s there to be healed?

Instead of lobbing bombs or bullets or barbed words that cut deep

We could shine the light of compassion

Listen deeply to those around us

With love and gratitude in our hearts

For the people in our lives,

Who are all our neighbors

Whether they reside next door or across the world,

Whether their abode is a tiny tent in the woods or the fabled mansion on a hill.

To each, I would ask—

Where does it hurt?

Were you bullied? oppressed?

How can I help?

Rather than cut people down, hurting them “first,”

dragging them through the mud

(Which always gets just as much mud on us)

Let’s lift them up

Bring everything to light

Like a snowball fight,

Each landed “shot”

leaving us that much warmer, safer, clearer, whole

Turn up the light.

All the way up. (To eleven!)

And drag the old stained mattresses and blankets out from the cupboards and hiding places we have used,

Thinking ourselves or others unworthy of light

or love

or belonging.

Drag it all outside

Put it on the lawn

Like the contents of a house after a flood.

Let the antiseptic sunlight into every crevice and corner

To dry and heal and reveal and strengthen

So we can see what is worth saving

And what has served its purpose.

Let’s salvage what is good

And release what no longer works

Most of the foundation is still strong, though parts are cracked

They need to be replaced if the structure is to stand.

Now is the time for repair.

After clearing away all the debris of destruction

Let’s rebuild.

Using what we have learned, we can improve on the ideas of our founders

We can go beyond their highest thoughts

To create an even more perfect union

This one founded on love and light and dedicated not only to the ideas of equality and justice for all,

But to finally making them a reality

In the lived experience of US

As we smooth and level this new foundation

we smooth and level the field of play

So everyone has the support they need

To equal opportunity

To share their talents and gifts and have them received

by the community

This is our generation’s sacred task

We are the ones with the chance to make things right

But first things first—

Right here, right now—

Fling Light!