Messages From Carrie
New Year Reflection/ Remembering again
January 2nd, 2008
The New Year is a time of reflection, a time to consider the upcoming year, make resolutions in hope of creating for ourselves a saner, healthier life and world. Personally, I don’t make a lot of January 1st resolutions, but I do a similar kind of ritual on December 21st. I often gather with a collection of good friends for the celebration of the Winter Solstice. On that evening we light candles to signify emerging out of the northern hemisphere’s darkest and shortest days. We say prayers, read poetry and stories, laugh and give thanks for life’s goodness and gifts, humble ourselves to the wisdom learned from our mistakes, and cast salt upon the water as a symbol of letting go of all we need to leave behind.
So looking forward and back. . . .
Reflecting upon the past year I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to work with a wide variety artists and persons I deeply admire, including many authors, musicians, playwrights, directors, activists, artists, presenters, theologians and poets. I count each collaboration a gift and great inspiration. The Wilderness Plots collection was released in March 2007. I loved participating in the creation of the album and theatrical production. My heart is filled with the many places and people I’ve had the good fortune to encounter as I travel across the country and Alaska, performing in retreat centers, small intimate spaces, large halls and performance facilities, schools, colleges, churches, festivals, and even a county courtroom. The process of writing, producing and recording of “The Geography of Light” was truly thrilling. I believe the result is my most authentic and satisfying musical project. To say that experiencing the graceful, generous talents of everyone connected to the project has been breathtaking would be an understatement. I'm looking forward to the release in February on Rounder Records.
Also reflecting on the past year, in November of 2007, I was invited to sing at the School of the Americas Protest. The SOAW protest originated thirteen years ago with a goal to raise public awareness of our country's involvement in the use and training of torture, and to close a specific military school of torture. The event was stunning in it’s power. Twenty-five thousand people attended this year, traveling from all over the country. There were bus loads of college students, peace activists, religious groups and concerned citizens of all ages and background. Although the central work of the protest is to draw attention to SOAW, it has become a wider symbol and gathering place for those concerned with the issues of nonviolence, global economy, the environment and social justice.
On Sunday morning I took part my place in a twenty-four-person choir. For over two hours we individually sang the names of persons killed in Central and Latin America by regimes trained at the SOA. After an individual name was sung the entire gathering of people would respond singing “Presente.” In collective we sang the names of whole villages, whole families, children, pregnant women, teenagers and old people. We sang in shifts of four vocalists and it was like a call and response prayer. It was truly liturgy.
The Indigo Girls, Holly Near and Dennis Kucinich participated in the choir, which I found beautiful, interesting and quite egoless. I don’t know what mystery awaits us on the other side of this life’s veil, but I could imagine for singers it might resemble this experience. We return to the one great song, where individual voices rise and call and the collective responds, "Presente."
I found the high percentage of people under the age of thirty participating in this event incredibly inspiring. The next generation of will move forward in their own style, but they are showing up, they have great passion, and they are glorious. I also was deeply moved by the number of faith traditions represented at this gathering. Progressive faith groups can be a powerful force for change and good. We are all too aware of the misuses of religion and the horrors that befall when hate is spewed forth as doctrine. But we also know there is a power for good in the world, there are people and communities who know we can bring the Peaceable Kingdom of Love right here if we chose to manifest it. This is not an idealistic dream, but rather a great truth that the great teachers (and our own hearts) have been telling us for a very long time.
So the question this brings home to me is, “How can we all manifest the peaceable kingdom in our own lives in the upcoming year, and each day live a life that is just a little bit more aware of the impact of speech, intent and actions.” Yes, the world is wide and sorrow runs deep. The truth is most of us will not see what long-term change results from our actions. And yet, what we do individually and within community does make very real daily change. It is like dropping stones into the current of a river. Many of these stones are swept away immediately, but some begin to collect and those gathered bits of intention eventually create an obstacle the water must navigate around. Enough gathered stones can affect an entire river's course, stone by stone, word-by-word, conscious action by conscious action.
This reminds me of a writer's response to the question, "What would you do if you knew you this was your last day on this planet." He responded, " I would plant a tree."
I am remembering the hope that comes with the growing light. I am remembering the salt I spread upon the water on the eve of the winter solstice. I am remembering the sound of voices that carry forward and back laden with sorrow and hope. I am remembering all good gifts. I am remembering it is through each one of us the New Year begins, and the peaceable kingdom arrives. I am remembering the that it is good to plant a tree and drop stones in the river.