A few years ago, I had the honour of interviewing Alice Walker for my feature documentary, Fierce Light: When Spirit Meets Action. Alice is the Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Color Purple, activist and a social visionary who has been a participant in many of the major movements of planetary change, from the American Civil Rights Movement forward. When I stepped into Alice's lovely home in California I immediately felt a sense of welcome. Her eyes were glowing as we spoke, reflecting her deep understanding of spiritual activism, what she calls the ‘human sunrise' - a term that applies perfectly to her.

In the wake of the recent death of her beloved sister, Alice and her partner, Garrett Larson, have decided to travel to Gaza, to call attention to the need for support in the rebuilding and recovering from the attacks. This is her open letter about her planned trip. If you are in Gaza, or Israel, please welcome her.

____________________



We Can Offer What We Are
by
Alice Walker


During the recent ruthless assault on the people of Gaza when so many people were injured or murdered, I lost my own sister; she had been ill for many years. The loss of this one person, whose death was anticipated, was such a blow, that when I considered the losses to the people of Gaza – of mothers, children, fathers, brothers, uncles, cousins, and friends, I wondered how the anguish of so much tragic loss could be sustained. Housing, hospitals, nurseries, libraries, schools, were also lost. Surely the blow to the human spirit would be intolerable for many, and there would seem little reason for continuing to live.

Going to Gaza is our opportunity (my partner Garrett Larson’s and mine) to express solidarity with the people there. To demonstrate the concern we feel each day for the suffering endured. To remind the people of Gaza and ourselves that we belong to the same world: the world where grief is not only acknowledged, but shared; where we see injustice and call it by its name; where we see suffering and know the one who stands and sees is also harmed, but not nearly so much as the one who stands and sees and says and does nothing. We can bring our witness, one of life’s strongest gifts, as others have come to our side, witnessing our struggle, when life appeared impossible to bear. When all is lost, or nearly lost, tenderness remains, or could. We can offer what we are.

Alice WALKER
February 19, 2009

More info at the Code Pink website.

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Comment by Daton O Fullard on April 5, 2009 at 4:05pm

Flowers Comments
"Mind Things"

"Our greatest capacity for Loving Sharing and Caring..
Can only be further modified enhanced and expanded..
By Our Truthful sincerely committed willingness..To
become Our Living Creator's best example..Of His
Humble tolerant but ever wise..Truest Living vessels
of selflessness..Each of us Giving freely of Our over
abundance..

Thus connecting and releasing back into this..Most
wonderful Living Universe..Which by Our Presence
We do daily shape..Some of the always needed Seeds..
Of Tolerance Hope Peace Joy Mercy Grace Empathy
and Compassion..As new Spirit filled Flowers of Our
Hidden Garden..Each one taken and given where most
needed..To those in Our Inner Life while daily Living..
Now walking and living among us..Who surely have the
most significant difficulties..Truly pressing and such
compelling needs...

Excerpted From The Poetic Piece "Mind Things'" in
"The African Journals" Vol I "Things I would Say To
You If I Could" Authored by Daton O. Fullard..
Copyrighted 2008
Comment by Robert S. on February 21, 2009 at 8:28pm
Some people talk about making a difference

Some people are that difference

Thank you
Comment by Sabine Theresia on February 21, 2009 at 12:58pm
"When all is lost, or nearly lost, tenderness remains, or could."
What a great sentence. And it's sooo true!
Alice Walker is reminding me strongly of the deep wisdom i find in the report of Viktor E. Frankl (founder of the Logotherapy), that he has written in 1945 (!) dealing with his time in the concentration camp of Auschwitz: "Ein Psychologe erlebt das Konzentrationslager" (Engl.: A psychologist experiences the concentration camp). In that horrable surrounding he had seen some people (obviously including him) who let him feel and know: "In the concentration camp, they can take away everything from a human being, except the last human freedom, to adapt oneself this or that way to the given circumstances / conditions. And there was a 'so or so / this or that way)... We have to learn and we must teach it to the desperate human beings, that it is never ever the matter / question, what we have still to expect from life, but only this: What life expects from us."
Whatever happens, in any moment, also if all of our energy seems to be gone by illness or any other suffering: "WE CAN OFFER WHAT WE ARE"
And that is the main philosophy of all the impressive persons, who tell their stories and their thoughts and feelings in "Scared Sacred", that brilliant film made by Velcrow. It really is a unique jewel. It's impossible to share with you the treasures of this film by writing some words about it. But you can watch it, wherever you live. Amazon.com makes it possible.
Velcrow and Alice: Thank you sooo much for your words and your wisdom! Sabine

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