Lenten Writing Project Reboot 2020! Writers' Reflections in the Wilderness of Lent
Words of Faith
Spirit to Spirit Writing Project
The word Lentcomes from an old English word meaning lengthening of days. In Christianity, it refers to the time before Easter, traditionally observed through repentance and learning. It's a season to be intentional about changing and growing. Some people give up items to create space and time for new life and habits to grow. Instead of giving something up, I invite you to try to commit to answering these writing prompts each of the 40 days of Lent. The discipline it takes to set aside time each day to reflect and write about God and your relationship with spirituality is a journey that you will emerge from with a renewed spirit. Every writer has their own special voice to add to this project, whether poetry, prose, essay, thoughts, lists, or through comments, prayer, and encouragement.
How do I participate? Each day, a writing prompt will be posted. A prompt is a question or statement that is meant to inspire your thoughts in whatever genre you feel moved to write. Post your reflections as a comment under each day's prompt (for further instructions, see 'How To Post' on the right side of the page). It is up to you if you write, read, or pray along with us each of the 40 days of Lent or just drop in from time to time when the spirit moves you to participate. Writing regularly is a discipline that many writers struggle with and this is a way to involve that discipline as a Lenten practice. Through writing and leaving encouraging words for others in this project, we become a supportive spiritual writing community
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Standing Up to Hate With Love
Write about a time that you've stood up
in the face of hatred for your beliefs. Or, you can write about a time that you've witnessed or read/heard about and how that has inspired you.
I was a young Navy wife in 1944, a long time ago. My husband was transferred from Norman, Oklahoma to Daytona beach, Florida, and I went along. It was a lovely place in those days. I had never seen the ocean before and the beach called. We had a little room on the street that ran along the shore, and we spent a lot of time soaking up sun and watching the blue, blue waters.
I got on the bus one day to go out to the Naval Base and saw that all the seats were taken except one, clear in the back. I started to go to the back of the bus when someone told me I couldn't sit there. It was reserved for the Negroes, only that wasn't the word she used. I hadn't heard of segregation, so I just said "I don't mind if they don't. " I took a seat between two women. One of them said "I mind!" the other one said. "It's okay. She's from the North. She doesn't know." We talked and I don't remember the conversation, but it began to dawn on me what was going on here. As I talked and looked around, I could see that the back of the bus had never been washed. There was a very clear and definite line where the washing of the walls had stopped. The floor was the same. I was shocked. I protested out loud, "Why this bus has never been cleaned!" Someone in front said it had been cleaned all it needed.
Youth has a big mouth. I replied that my mother had always told me "If you sweep the dirt under the rug, your house is still dirty."
All of a sudden it became very quiet. The bus driver came to the back of the bus and tore a piece of paper that straddled the two different areas in two, leaving the half on the floor of the segregated side. I was in tears, knowing I had stirred up trouble and probably made things worse for the people who had accepted me in their territory. I remember calling out, "These are people!" I got up and walked the long, long way to the front of the bus with everyone's eyes on me, some of them hostile. I got off far from the Naval Station, not quite so in love with the innocent seeming city of Daytona Beach, Florida. Clarene Aitken 4 April 2014
I Protest!
ReplyDeleteI was a young Navy wife in 1944, a long time ago. My husband was transferred from Norman, Oklahoma to Daytona beach, Florida, and I went along. It was a lovely place in those days. I had never seen the ocean before and the beach called. We had a little room on the street that ran along the shore, and we spent a lot of time soaking up sun and watching the blue, blue waters.
I got on the bus one day to go out to the Naval Base and saw that all the seats were taken except one, clear in the back. I started to go to the back of the bus when someone told me I couldn't sit there. It was reserved for the Negroes, only that wasn't the word she used. I hadn't heard of segregation, so I just said "I don't mind if they don't. " I took a seat between two women. One of them said "I mind!" the other one said. "It's okay. She's from the North. She doesn't know." We talked and I don't remember the conversation, but it began to dawn on me what was going on here. As I talked and looked around, I could see that the back of the bus had never been washed. There was a very clear and definite line where the washing of the walls had stopped. The floor was the same. I was shocked. I protested out loud, "Why this bus has never been cleaned!" Someone in front said it had been cleaned all it needed.
Youth has a big mouth. I replied that my mother had always told me "If you sweep the dirt under the rug, your house is still dirty."
All of a sudden it became very quiet. The bus driver came to the back of the bus and tore a piece of paper that straddled the two different areas in two, leaving the half on the floor of the segregated side. I was in tears, knowing I had stirred up trouble and probably made things worse for the people who had accepted me in their territory. I remember calling out, "These are people!" I got up and walked the long, long way to the front of the bus with everyone's eyes on me, some of them hostile. I got off far from the Naval Station, not quite so in love with the innocent seeming city of Daytona Beach, Florida.
Clarene Aitken
4 April 2014
Rosa Parks has a white sister!
Deleteronaldo
Clarene - what a trouble maker - or justice maker - or both... Pastor Larry
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