Called to Mission | Beth Neville

Don’t be afraid of the hurt. Don’t be afraid to stay and fight.

I have also come to realize that though this house is an excellent place for family and friends to gather, host delegations and meetings, entertain for sleepovers and graduation parties, it just has become too big for me, for my life and for my way of living in this world.  

During the month of February, Black HIstory Month, we watched together many movies, some fictional but most factual, that portrayed the stories of individuals who helped to break down racism and discrimination, fight for equal rights, rise to a place of honor and respect in unjust systems and challenged others to be treated with humanness and dignity.

I took on the challenge as a New Year’s resolution to send 365 days of thank-you notes to everyone throughout my lifetime who deserved a thank you by touching me in one way or another.

Though change is difficult to many, we will hopefully have learned to have an openness, an acceptance and an understanding to new and loving ways of thinking, acting and relating to God, ourselves and others.

It is revealing how a young person — without as much time here on earth and years of experience we adults have — has the wisdom and understands the importance of being attentive to the people around them and inevitably finding happiness for themselves and others by this awareness.

The barefoot journeys taken through the years are the happiness and joy that are fruits of a life well lived.

Today, we have so many options available to help us communicate even better with our family, friends, those right next door and around the world. Unfortunately, we seem to be struggling with our ability to communicate with others, with ourselves and with God.