United We Stand

This morning as I stepped out of bed I felt as if I was crossing a threshold, stepping foot into a new reality… one that was unrecognizable to me. It was a sobering moment filled with grief and question. Yesterday was a dark day in American history, at least the latter part of it, and to be clear we have seen some dark days in this country.

In all actuality, it began with the Spirit of hope and an eagerness for change; a remarkable day in history when a groundswell of people, who have for generations felt silenced, found their voice and literally sat down and began writing THEIR OWN history. People spoke up and voted… in record breaking numbers never before seen in a state where folks who have been marginalized and under-represented voted on behalf of themselves as well as symbolically voted on behalf of all people who have felt unheard or marginalized.

But this post isn’t about that. It’s not about government parties; it’s about how all of this hope was suddenly eclipsed by an egregious abuse of power by the highest ranking position in the United States of America and what that symbolically means for the people of this country and the world at large.

The slogan United We Stand Divided We Fall is synonymous with this place we call home and its meaning reaches far beyond the scope of bipartisanship within a governmental body. It speaks to a larger Truth which is that EVERY BODY is in this together; that All is One and that what we do to one we do to the whole.

Every one of us is bearing witness to the aftermath of divisive rhetoric that was used to incite violence and subsequent attack on one another and on this country. We are bearing witness to what it looks like when we don’t practice discernment and stay tethered to Truth. The thing is, Truth doesn’t need a mob of people to support its message. Lies do. Truth is sovereign and doesn’t need anything or anyone to shore itself up; it stands alone and paradoxically serves as a unification under itself- not a nation or party or religion.

In the last year we have seen AND felt both the polarization of ourselves with others as well as beautiful acts of kindness and courageous hearts coming together. We’ve seen and felt both. This is a wake up call- a call to action really. It’s time we examine what is resonating within our own hearts. Who and what are you choosing to align yourself with and how will you vote in this thing called life? This vote is a privilege and one that we have access to in every moment.

-Chrissy Leake