Bringing About Change Is Hard Work

Some times it gets discouraging. There's so much to do and what seems to be so little time. It's interesting that that's the case for the young and the old. Young people are impatient as well they should be and their elders are tired and impatient. We all know that the work is critical. It involves issues around climate change, war & peace, economic justice, racism, equality for people with disabilities, gender issues, sexual preference and choice. The list is long and the challenges difficult. My list is not complete by any means and I know others may have different priorities.

But all of this can lead to frustration over time. I find myself needing some kind of snap out of it therapy every once in a while, especially in mid winter with minimal sunlight and bone chilling temperatures, along with breaking news every half hour - never good by the way.

I've written here before about Dorothy Day, someone I knew and worked alongside in the 60's at the Catholic Worker in New York City. Dorothy had little time for cry babies in the movement for social justice and peace. Here is a quote from Dorothy that I sometimes need to re-read and reflect on when I get myself in a state of 'too much to do, not enough time' kind of thinking. 

"People say, what is the sense of our small effort? They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time. A pebble cast into a pond causes ripples that spread in all directions. Each one of our thoughts, words and deeds is like that. No one has a right to sit down and feel helpless. There is too much work to do." - Dorothy Day

No, we don't have a right to sit down and feel helpless. Perhaps we need a break every once in a while, but that's it. There really is too much work to do. I'm sure I'll continue to get tired, frustrated and even a little depressed now and then but we, you and I, need to keep it up, brick by brick.