Pictures from our solar eclipse adventure.
In my mind today, I’m reflecting (no pun intended) on the solar eclipse of August 21, 2017. I took a vacation day along with a lot of other Americans. Eclipses have been recorded as early as 780 B.C. They were thought to be omens. Wouldn’t it be great if yesterday the eclipse inspired Americans to cast away their prejudices and hate for others. That would be miraculous indeed.
This past Sunday when I awoke and was getting myself together for teaching Sunday School with the help of my son and husband, my chest felt heavy and my stomach hurt. My son suggested it was anxiety. I pushed through it and arrived to my class feeling under the weather. My lesson was neatly planned and in my lap as I rolled into the classroom.
Then something happened. After our attendance and brief devotion, my heart nudged within me. This is the question I asked my 9-12th PRE Class this past Sunday in light of the chaos in Virginia and our world: “What are we or more specifically you going to do about this?” I told them truly the future is theirs and they would be the future of America. Here are some responses: nothing, ignore it because they want attention, and more education to stop ignorance. They are an ethnically diverse group who attend five different high schools. They voiced there is a faction of students at schools that use hate and prejudice as a tool to intimidate. It is usually done in secret or behind a nice demeanor, but it does sadly still exist. I then shared with them the civil disobedience of the Civil Rights movement: marches, lunch counters, bus rides, rallies, and allowing the evil to be visible. We suggested to form clubs to promote education, simply speak out when they see or hear classmates use hate actions or speech, continue to educate themselves, and last but not least to pray together for the future of the world. Before my class Sunday, I had planned on our Proverbs lesson taking the majority of our time. Then, I launched into this. I know it was the Holy Spirit that urged me. After class, my chest and stomach discomfort faded.
So, wouldn’t be nice for an astronomical event immediately inspire all to do the right thing? For us all to love each other as we love ourselves? Ironically or maybe not so ironic, we sang “Make me a Channel of your Peace” during mass after class. That’s what I desire for my life: to be a channel of peace. Let me reflect the one with true light and maybe just maybe I can help bring light to drive out darkness in the form of hate. Today, reflect the inner light of God in your interactions with others whether they be red, yellow, black, or white. We are all precious.
Sarah Anderson Alley
Dedicated to my PRE or Sunday School Class
Quotes of the Day:
“Overcome evil with good” (Romans 12: 21).
“It is as necessary to reject untruth as it is to accept truth.”
Gandhi
“The rays of the sun are many through refraction. But they have the same source.”
Gandhi
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