A Poem for the "Fighters"

Foreign mussels are fueling toxic algae blooms in the Great Lakes region. ~Enlarge

A couple of years ago I received a poem from a friend that addresses a very serious issue in social organizing and social, environmental and political justice movements. 

I had never heard the poem before, and haven't seen it anywhere else since, but it is a rousing and humbling poem that should be the foundation of any individual, group, government agency or otherwise (in our case, online forum) working toward protecting our resources and communities and improving the world we live in. 

The poem speaks to the dangers of simultaneously working toward a goal and allowing ourselves to become cynical along the way. 

There is value in accumulating experience and "know-how" in the world of grassroots organizing.  Naivety does not last for very long when one is fighting against socially or environmentally negligent corporations or corrupt government agencies.  Fighting for protection and restoration of the Great Lakes is especially difficult because of how HUGE they are, the multiple entities that claim parts of them, the millions of people that rely on them and the thousands of reasons we exploit them.

But retaining a little bit of the innocence we started out with at the beginning of our fight ensures that we are still fighting for the right reasons; it helps with sustaining our energy and focus; it helps with feeling a sense of compassion alongside our sense of urgency.  Although naivety is easily lost, it can be found again if we consciously seek it out.

Finding a little innocence is going to be important when and while the Great Lakes restoration efforts move forward.  As Dave and Gary have written multiple times in their Weekly Editorials, we can't take for granted the fact that we have a Great Lakes-sympathetic president in the White House.  We are going to need to be active and put pressure on our representatives and legislators to ensure the Great Lakes needs are met. 

But we will need to be careful of burn-out, disgust and discouragement.  And this is why the poem is so valuable.  It brings us back to center, to the reason we're fighting.

It reads:

May you be blessed with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths and superficial relationships, so that you will live deep in your heart.

May you be blessed with anger at injustice, oppression and the exploitation of people and the Earth, so that you will work for Justice, Equity and Peace.

May you be blessed with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you will reach out your hand to comfort them and change their pain into joy.

And may you be blessed with foolishness to think you can make a difference in the world, so that you will do the things which other say cannot be done.

-A Franciscan Blessing