Reflection on Teachers -Moving to Action

Ellen’s voice

From childhood, Kaethe and Suraya knew that they were part of a larger world filled with danger and injustice. As children, they learned that they had responsibility for others while they listened to their parents talk about less fortunate people in their midst. As adults, for different reasons, Kaethe and Suraya live under duress. Illness hangs over Kaethe’s life and makes it necessary for her to manage daily pain. Suraya’s continued advocacy for women in Afghanistan keeps her in danger. These obstacles deter neither woman. Instead, buoyed by their commitments to service, they entreat us to join them by writing, speaking, and teaching

I think now about Kaethe’s notion of how a small action matters. Don’t most of us feel that in difficult situations, whatever we do just isn’t enough? Whatever I did for Ron did not seem to soothe his pain or mine. If I had thought that each small act of kindness mattered, I might have felt some relief. If I had connected our suffering to the suffering of others, I might have felt less isolated. I hope that when I find myself spiraling into pain or grief in the future, I will remember Kaethe—on the radiation table but focusing on Johanna in South Africa—and I will connect with others beyond myself.

Suraya’s story reminded me of the young Kosovars that I interviewed after the war. Like Suraya, they held strong beliefs that had sustained them during their worst times. They told me that, in moments of crisis, they thought about those who had died for them, those who were still alive, and those who were still to come. They held to the conviction that no matter how many people died, as long as one Kosovar survived, they would endure as a people. In moments of terror, this belief fueled their courage to defy oppression.

The Teachers stay centered by not forgetting what they believe. They stretch beyond their personal circumstances to join with others. In moments of distress, they find threads of meaning and connection. They tell us to hold onto the values that we care about most, to place these values at the center of our concern for others, to resist our sense of vulnerability, and to speak out against injustice. They develop ways of thinking that lead them to action. They choose to work on behalf of others.

Teachers come into our lives in many ways. Sometimes we read about a famous person who inspires us. Or perhaps a circumstance in our life pulls us out of ourselves toward others with a similar plight. Kaethe’s and Suraya’s stories remind us to keep our eyes out for Teachers who are ahead of us, but who are willing to help us reach out beyond our own suffering. Kaethe and Suraya tell us not to allow our fears to deter us.

Take a moment. Think of someone you know or someone you’ve read about whose life or work influences you. Let us know what lessons move you toward action even when you are afraid or hampered in your own life. It is in these reflections that we move into new survival stories.

Keep Posted – My book “Blowing On Embers” will be released at the end of August.