Perspective During Tumultuousness

These past few weeks have been a whirlwind.  In the words of a dear friend of mine, "It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, and I'm wearing milkbone undershorts!"

No doubt!

In the throes of consistent travel, long days, and barely-there weekends, the U.S. has elected a new President and my wife, daughter, and I were blessed to have three beautiful children from the Ugandan Orphans Choir stay at our home.  https://www.childcareworldwide.org/index.php?page=what_we_do&subpage=ugandan_orphans_choir

"Um, not seeing the connection, Blake" you say?

I'm getting there; bear with me...

In the wee morning hours following President-elect Obama's victory speech, at 1:00 AM, Steve Kroft sat and interviewed the four primary architects and strategists behind Obama's campaign victory.  In short, "We won," David Axelrod commented, "because we believed in our candidate."  In today's politics, that's saying a great deal, regardless of your partisan preferences.

The subsequent weekend, back at the Leath home, as we sat, ate, and talked with Eric, Savannah (tour directors), and three of the ten children comprising the 2008 UCO, Eric commented on what amounted to the communal nature of property in the Ugandan culture.  In summary, the "absence of mine."  As he spoke, I reflected on the recent campaign season and our need, worldwide, to find the balance between autonomy/independence and interference.  Between helping and distorting.  Between building bridges and tearing down walls.  Between occupying and liberating.  These balances are as rife with ethical dilemmas as the disagreements over stem cells research.  What is right to one is wrong to another, but regardless, we commit ourselves to asking and working through the answers to many difficult questions.  This is a responsibility that accompanies adulthood.

And to guide us, perhaps what we must learn to do is embrace the nature of the "absence of mine."

I am well aware, and recall in great detail from college and my continuing contemplation of ethics the importance of 'absolutes' and the difficulties that arise in their absence.  I do not dispute that reality, but in this particular instance equate it to the ancient question, "Why, when I point to the moon, do you stare at my finger?"  We must see the moon itself, and not lose ourselves prematurely in the means to get there.  We must see the possibility of approaching the world wide-eyed, rather than through my way, if we are to remain open and nimble and receptive to potentially better ways.

Together, we can forge a way forward.  We must.  And as my stack of newspapers from 11/5/2008 testifies, I believe we will.  I believe in hindsight, we will see 2008 as a watershed year.  And for those who, as I mentioned in an earlier entry, "Voted for McCain in their head, and Obama in their heart," have faith -- I believe everyone will be the better if, for no other reason, because of the QUESTIONS that are being asked and the wave of potential that lies in asking.  

In the words of a dear European friend who emailed me early on November 5th,  

Today is an important day for all of us.  The American elections, in the middle of the current ecomomic turmoil, are crucial to all countries in the world.  As you might imagine, in Europe, in the last week, the major subject on the news is the new American President.  Today is a great day, but maybe Tomorrow can be an even greater day.

If it can be imagined, it can be accomplished.  But not in the particulate; only in the aggregate.  Together, there's no telling what can be accomplished.  Here's to the future; to the brick that each of us must place in the wall of restoration, reconciliation, hope, accomplishment, and potential.

40,000 children die every day around this globe as a result of famine and sickness.  But with their trusting eyes and shaking hands they fix upon us and extend the seed of an answer... the absence of mine.

May we take it, plant it, and cultivate it to the point where it cannot be contained.  And in the doing so, may it teach us all.