Candlelight lined both sides of the bridge over the Mississippi last night, where I sat holding my six month old grand daughter, and my sign that said “Not One More Death”. It was the first Peace Vigil for both of us. People of all ages stood in silent determination, candles raised to acknowledge the blaring support of car horns passing by. I heard soft drum beats and a soft bell ringing occasionally, and felt the shared power of the people on all sides of us.
I held this little girl-babe very close to my heart, and told her I was so sorry we had not done better than we have to create a better world for her to grow up in. I told her to soak up all this power, because she was going to have to fight very hard, just as I did, for her right to live in freedom, and fight to recreate an America that was truly of, by and for the people.
At this, she stiffened, and prepared to set up one of her already famous howls. I didn’t blame her: that’s a lot to lay on a six month old. So we rocked cheek to cheek awhile, and I sang to her of sweet lands of liberty. I told her to look around at all the people who were holding candles and peace signs, and promised her it would be worth it, whatever it took, to fight off those who would ruin America for their own gain, through unnecessary wars and corruption.
It must have gotten through to her, because she relaxed, decided to forgo her howling for the moment, and began babbling baby talk in my ear, while waving one strong little arm toward the blaring headlights passing by. That’s my girl.
She’ll be fine. The young are going to pick up and carry on where we leave off, as they always do, each generation relearning what has been forgotten, and forging ahead from there. Maybe it will be her generation that will realize that freedom and material success are not one in the same after all: that freedom is claimed from within, where it cannot be taken away by anyone.
Maybe it will be her generation that will get fed up enough with deception and corruption and demand integrity and honesty from the leaders they elect. Maybe they will reclaim the concept of the common good and community, over the isolation of rugged individualism and competition as the only way to have a successful life.
All I know for sure was that I had one powerful life force in my arms last night, on that candle lit Peace Bridge that stretched my beloved Mississippi River. I know that no matter what we’ve done to that powerful river, it’s life force still flows strong. I know that I do not stand alone in my yearning for peace, that millions of others stand with me all over this world. I know that each generation passes along its strengths to the next, along with our mistakes.
I will have many more chances to stand in strength with my daughters and grand daughters, before the baton gets formally passed along. I know they will carry it well.
(cross posted at OurWord.org and VillageBlue.com)