Jan 29, 2017

On IG today, in discussing current events, someone basically said, “If you’re not angry, it’s because you don’t know enough.” It’s a sentiment I’ve seen a lot these past few weeks and I can understand where people are coming from when they say it, but I can’t say I agree. 

I hear the news. I read on CNN about President Trump’s ban on Muslim nations and it broke my heart. I’m not in on some inside scoop, but I think I’m about as informed as most people are on this. And yet, I don’t feel angry. Broken-hearted? Yes. Full of questions? Of course. But most of all I’m just moved to overwhelming compassion.

I think about how I feel if I were in their shoes. I think about mothers and fathers struggling to get by just to give their children a better life. I think about families who are separated. People who are trapped in dangerous places and circumstances. These aren’t other people. They’re just plain people. People who are no less worthy of a warm safe home and food on the table than I am. People with talents and ambitions and hopes and dreams. I just want to hug them and invite them in to stay.

In thinking about it all today I wondered what, if anything, I could do. Me, so far away and with limited resources. I wanted so much to reach out, even if it was just with the little I could hold in my two hands.

And then I was inspired to do just that. To use my hands and do the little bit I could. It won’t be much, just a drop in the bucket, but that doesn’t make it any less worth doing. After all, it takes every drop to fill the ocean.

So I decided right then to finish sewing up some little home portraits I started over a year ago and donate the proceeds to a charity that directly benefits refugees. I worked for a few hours this evening getting all the little pieces cut out and ready. Hopefully in a day or two I’ll get them all sewn up and photographed and ready for the shop.

It’s such a small thing. It doesn’t feel like enough because it’s not enough, but it’s the best I can do and it’s a start. I don’t have a huge following at my disposal and I’m not sure if people will be interested in buying my little houses or supporting this cause, but it feels like the right thing to do and I’m hoping to collect at least a couple hundred dollars to donate.

It’s easy to feel small and far away from the problems in the world. I feel that way most of the time. But each of us we’re sent here at this time to do our part and, when we do–when we all plunk in our little drops–we’ll fill the ocean.

Or at provide some food and water and shelter and medical care to some good people who really need it.