To the Editor:
We are one, each worthy of dignity and respect. We are one, empowered by nonviolence. We are one, promoting peace and civility. These three phrases have been the theme of an ad campaign intended to further the Clinton Sisters of St. Francis’ mission of active nonviolence and peacemaking during their 150th anniversary year.
Awareness of our oneness, building relationships, getting to know people before we judge them, and being kind to everyone is something we should all strive for. There really is no “they;” there is only “us.”
Sometimes it seems as though this country and this world are spiraling out of control. We’ve forgotten our core values and we’ve forgotten that basically everyone has the same needs — a roof over our head, healthy food, safety and love. We want a good education and a good future for our children. We want to be accepted for who we are. We want to connect and to live an authentic, meaningful life. We want a world free of pollution, corruption, greed, hatred and fear.
How do we get there? We get there with love, respect, civility, compassion, forgiveness and peace in our hearts. We speak with kindness. We act with love. As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
Join the Franciscan Peace Center, 841 13th Ave., N. in Clinton, on Aug. 18 at 6:30 p.m. when we show “Life in a Day.” This documentary captured one day — July 24, 2010 — from over 80,000 people worldwide. The film offers a unique experience on what it’s like to be alive on earth today — and a beautiful example that we truly are one.
I recently read a bumper sticker that said: “Human. Kind. Be Both!” That about sums it up!
For more information, visit www.clintonfranciscans.com
Lori Freudenberg,
Community Outreach Director
