Five Notions
1: We are not alone.
2: Grief, fear, and anger are normal. We are invited to seek ways to hold space for them in a healthy way, so they do not become depression or aggression.
3: Something good is unfolding, even amidst the pain and trouble; it’s normal to forget the good news when overwhelmed by the brokenness, but the story doesn’t end there.
4: We may be in the early stages of a series of unprecedented global nonviolent revolutions that are only just getting started.
5: Without us, these nonviolent revolutions won’t fully take flight. Each of us has a part to play.
Five Steps
1: However, and to whomever you pray, pray to ask the right questions, to face the best truths, to not be distracted by unnecessary or unhelpful things, and to ask where you fit in all of it.
2: Focus on what is beautiful more often than what is ugly; look for sources of information that are at least as emotionally mature as you are, and as committed to the common good.
3: Discern and commit to *one* common good cause that you’re willing to devote more energy to.
4: While protecting the vulnerable, try to love your enemy. Whatever that may mean for you in practice, don’t make tribalism worse.
5: If Advent and Christmas are traditions you mark, then celebrate them as if they really mean something! Christ is about to be born again in us - so let’s share our burdens, our joys, and our gifts. If you are from another tradition, or "the holidays" mean something else, consider the invitation to enjoy the connection of chosen community, and the sharing of struggles and delights, wherever you are.
If you’d like to explore these ideas further, consider forming or joining a Porch Circle near you - small gatherings, easy to organize, and life-changing. More details at www.theporchmagazine.com/porch-circles
Gareth Higgins is a northern Irish writer, storyteller and activist, and the founder of The Porch.
