day68: embrace and celebrate diversity!!!

'spark of the divine' (mini dress made from the program from the UUAC Sherborn)

We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, 

and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry 

are equal in value no matter what their color.

Maya Angelou

Today I have struggled with all that I want to say on the subject of diversity.  With certain candidates spewing hateful words and inciting fear, I see our country falling backwards to ways and beliefs that do not embrace diversity.

In grade school I learned that America was a melting pot, a refuge for anyone, rich with diversity,   and that is what made America great!! I just loved that idea of everyone 'melting' together, holding each other up.  However as I got older I saw that idea was more a work in progress, that the melting pot was more an ideal than a reality. There is a long history in our country of hatred, racism, discrimination and fear, and we had made some progress.  There is/was so much more work to be done, however right now I feel as we are sliding back on all fronts.  

I was at a celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and one of the speakers spoke of how much we as a country, as a culture, as a society have lost because of discrimination, and his point went straight into my soul.  He spoke of what was lost because an entire race of people were not taken into account, were not given opportunities to speak, to learn, to contribute.  

When you were young girls and you asked me about the atrocities of the world I explain that they stemmed from fear!! fear of something, someone that is different.  

Prejudice and discrimination comes from fear, and fear can come from ignorance.  

It is SO important for everyone to stand up against discrimination.

Speak up against fear of the different, embrace diversity, welcome all the colors of thread, 

because the more colors, the more rich the tapestry.

peace

love, mom

(more tomorrow)

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May this dress remind us to forget our perfect offering and let the light in!

'eggshell bustier ...' the full story of this sculpture is posted today on my art blog, it is long but interesting :)

"Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in."

Anthem ~ Leonard Cohen

Below is a link to the sermons from my church, the UUAC, First Parish of Sherborn, and if you click on this link:
http://uuac.org/worship/sermons-2013/
then click on

Dec 22

That’s How The Light Gets In by Dr. Stephanie May & Rev. Robin Bartlett

to hear a beautiful sermon about this time of year, redemption, forgiveness and faith.

and here is the link to the story of the above dress...
http://virginiafitzgerald.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-bustier-is-leaving-building-story.html

Lyrics

The birds they sang
at the break of day
Start again
I heard them say
Don't dwell on what
has passed away
or what is yet to be.
Ah the wars they will
be fought again
The holy dove
She will be caught again
bought and sold
and bought again
the dove is never free.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

We asked for signs
the signs were sent:
the birth betrayed
the marriage spent
Yeah the widowhood
of every government --
signs for all to see.

I can't run no more
with that lawless crowd
while the killers in high places
say their prayers out loud.
But they've summoned, they've summoned up
a thundercloud
and they're going to hear from me.

Ring the bells that still can ring ...

You can add up the parts
but you won't have the sum
You can strike up the march,
there is no drum
Every heart, every heart
to love will come
but like a refugee.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.

#thisismyreligion
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May this dress remind you to embrace your cracks . . . .

 the 8 ft tall dress of eggshells from 'this comes from within' 

“There is a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in.”* 
Leonard Cohen, Selected Poems, 1956-1968

Today's dress was the centerpiece of an installation, 'this comes from within', 
 that I created in 2009 at Michael Dowling's Medicine Wheel in South Boston.  

I converted the entire gallery into this dark environment 
basically lit only from the light within the dress. 
(click here to read more about this amazing experience).

Last week I attended a very inspiring service at 

the UUAC of Sherborn, where the topic was 

'how the light gets in'.

They post the sermons on their web site and if you have a moment,

check out Dec. 22 

It was a moving service about the darkness of this season,

both literal and metaphorical,  I am very familiar with both. 
There were beautiful words and  music, 
especially an amazing rendition of Leonard Cohen's Anthem.

So today, and in the new year,
 I am going embrace my cracks and let in the light.

peace

*Anthem ~ Leonard Cohen
The birds they sang
at the break of day
Start again
I heard them say
Don't dwell on what
has passed away
or what is yet to be.

Ah the wars they will
be fought again
The holy dove
She will be caught again
bought and sold
and bought again
the dove is never free.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

We asked for signs
the signs were sent:
the birth betrayed
the marriage spent
Yeah the widowhood
of every government --
signs for all to see.

I can't run no more
with that lawless crowd
while the killers in high places
say their prayers out loud.
But they've summoned, they've summoned up
a thundercloud
and they're going to hear from me.

Ring the bells that still can ring ...

You can add up the parts
but you won't have the sum
You can strike up the march,
there is no drum
Every heart, every heart
to love will come
but like a refugee.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.

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