Comfort one another

“Wisdom is the breath of the power of God, and in all ages entering into holy souls she maketh them friends of God and prophets”

– Ralph Waldo Trine, In Tune with The Infinite

Some years ago there was an ad on television with a little girl, about two to three years old, crying her heart out because both her parents had been killed and she was now, I presume, in the care of strangers.

I often wonder, as I drive through the violence-plagued areas of Kingston, about the children whose lives are marred by daily violence.

I wonder how parents who truly want the best for their children but are unable to meet even their most basic needs, cope with the daily pressures that they face. I often wonder about victims of domestic violence, of sexual, physical and emotional abuse. I wonder about the orphans, abandoned children who have never known the comfort and security of stable family life.

I wonder a lot about the process that has transformed the beautiful promise of a child into a cold-blooded murderer whose primary goal in his life as a ‘shotta’ is to make duppies. I wonder most of all about the adults who created and who still facilitate this process of transformation.

One of Alice Walker’s characters describes herself as having been always a black woman and describing the black woman as one who has had to walk many miles with pebbles in her shoes. How many pebbles are there in the shoes of the women in the lives of the ‘shottas’ and the women in the lives of those who supply them with the weapons to kill and maim? How many pebbles are in the shoes of the mothers and fathers of the victims?

There are too many who experience no love, no compassion, no forgiveness, no mercy, no gentleness and no tenderness. And Ralph Waldo Trine, speaking of ‘The Secret, Power and Effects of Love’ in his book, In Tune with the Infinite reminds us that:

“Many times the struggles are greater than we can ever know. We need more gentleness and sympathy and compassion in our common human life. Then we will neither blame nor condemn.

Instead of blaming or condemning we will sympathise, and all the more we will: Comfort one another, for the way is often dreary and the feet are often weary and the heart is very sad. There is a heavy burden bearing, when it seems that none are caring and we half forget that ever we were glad. Comfort one another with the handclasp close and tender, with the sweetness love can render, and the looks of friendly eyes do not wait with grace unspoken, while life’s daily bread is broken. Gentle speech is oft like manna from the skies.”

A quiet heart:

Meditation for your quiet time, those quiet moments in your special silent place

Our young people need much more than exhortations, empty words and ponderous statements. Mother Teresa said:

“Nowadays, young people especially, want to see. You speak of love, you speak of prayer. They want to know how you love and how you pray and what compassion means to you. This is how they judge, how you really live the life of a co-worker, a carrier of God’s love.”

Marjorie Stair is an agriculture and rural development specialist. She hosts the programme ‘Country Road’ on Power 106 FM Fridays at 6:30 am. Send questions or comments by email to loyal@cwjamaica.com

or fax to 968-2025.