Today’s news about Roe v. Wade is a challenge. It demands a response. Let me repeat: it calls for a response, not merely a reaction. One appeal in my inbox today referred to the writer’s struggle with anger and anguish. That is a reaction, and an understandable one, a heartrending one. To be fair and accurate, the writer went on to advocate action to redress this abominable SCOTUS action, thereby reframing her reaction into a response. If we surrender to anger and anguish, we surrender our power as well. We need more than that. Anger and anguish are not wrong. They are natural, understandable feelings. But they are not effective agents of change. We need go beyond influencing change to become agents of change.

Just « any old change » will not suffice. The goal is more than a different world. It is a better world. For that kind of objective – and the means for achieving it – we need clear minds. We need to acknowledge our fears, anxieties and experiences – without allowing them to cripple us into inaction. We need to identify and pursue pathways to justice, compassion, fairness, and respect.

At the same time, we need to adhere to the values of our objectives in how we assert, advocate and achieve our goals. Our irrational outbursts and action are not better than theirs just because they are ours.

This brings us to the matter of opening our hearts as well as our eyes. There are people who will agree with us in their hearts but oppose us or remain on the sidelines out of genuine fear or mere laziness. We need a place for them as fence-sitting allies in our hearts, just as we will wince at some actions of our strongest comrades. And there must be room in our hearts to acknowledge that some people see the world differently and they will continue to disagree « world without end…. »

What will NOT succeed is inaction. Action without clear objectives will not succeed either. Actions merely expressive of discontent can produce no worthy outcomes either. We need bold action based on worthy values with respect for each other.

Clear minds and open hearts….