What Do You Stand For? – Denise M. Ford

 

If someone took a photograph of me and then applied an enhancing filter, I believe an outline would appear. I picture it glowing and pulsing depending on the situation or conversation surrounding me. Highlighting the unmistakable reactions, the facial expressions that wrangle and pull my visage into downcast, taut grimaces, or puckered, sucked mouthing. The unmistakable eyebrow lifting and reflexive grinning. Unseen but just below the surface my heart beating with loud thudding, pounding to depths that threaten to burst through my chest wall. 

An emotional outline clearly delineating my threshold, or my tolerance. I admit, my physical reactions will uncover and dismantle any pretense I hope to convey regarding social injustice. How do I allow them to produce words, spoken or written; how will my intentions influence these impulses to share my soul wrenching beliefs; this becomes my constant question. 

Especially in today’s world when we can read someone’s post on social media, absorb its brief assertion, ignore a conscientious tugging for discernment, and share it boldly to others with the ---what? Intent to sway or reprimand them in their beliefs. What moves us to press a button and feel relieved that we have contributed to the social injustice conversation, in a moment of release have we found a way to control others?  Ah, control becomes the underlying purpose, the mechanism that starts the process. Does it become the ultimate goal?

Why do we as loving, caring individuals succumb to attitudes and ways to control others to suit our own beliefs?

While I understand how writers influence and inform society on topics that demand social response, I firmly believe that we need to constantly inquire from where our honest intentions originate: From a need to control? Or from a need to stir love and cooperation? From a need to judge or from a need to accept our own responsibility? From a need to gain superiority or from a need to provide perspective? From a need to promote loyalty or to uncover truth?

I do not suggest that my outline of tolerance encompasses correct perceptions or limitations. I have confronted evil and I have accepted when I cannot. I mistakenly and impulsively share on-line posts that in retrospect I wish I had bypassed the click of the button. I listen to many descry the media at a time when information desperately needs to reach the uninformed. I cringe and shake my head to convey my disbelief at interpretations that astound me, conspiracy theories that disregard science. Yet I believe in words. I believe in accepting and acknowledging language that will record our social relationships.

Alongside my writing corner sits a framed postcard from the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC. The center block poses the question: What Do You Stand For? Smaller blocks enclose the inquiry demanding visible consideration: courage, wisdom, justice, honesty, imagination, empathy, citizenship, self-discipline, integrity, caring, accountability, respect, restraint, sincerity, forgiveness, truthfulness, compassion, cooperation.

What Do You Stand For? What prompts you to create the emotional outline that surrounds you as a moral and ethical human being? What draws you forth to engage and experience the social fabric unfolding today?

What Do You Stand For? From what need do your honest intentions originate? 

Before you press a button, or type out thoughts, or speak your words to influence others, be mindful. What lies within those words? How will others receive the outline you project?

My husband and I took a much-needed day trip to Banff National Park last week. We walked by a small riverbed and discovered a beautiful outline created by nature’s changing season. Yellow leaves released and abandoned by the branches of surrounding trees haphazardly layered on top of each other snuggling against the curving riverbank. As the current brought water to lazily lap against them it drew our attention to pause and reflect on the image they created.

What do you stand for? How will you allow your emotional outline to penetrate your words? At their release will they line up in a manner that will reflect your intentions. 

Writing necessarily informs, exposes, criticizes, and enlightens. Offered objectively or satirically, factually or exaggerated. It can and has moved society to alter its ideas.  Articles, speeches, editorials, tweets, posts, broadcasts, debates, discussions, podcasts, blogs, letters, emails, texts… we fill them with words, we release them and wonder what reception they will receive.

We tread the boundaries of our own emotional outlines, we know the power and value of ideas, statements, metaphors, and stories. When we choose to breech our emotional outlines, we need to discern potential outcomes and consequences. 

As we shed our emotions, and our reactions into words will they form a visible outline to the world that motivates or inspires as our thoughts line up for scrutiny?  Will our beliefs and perceptions invoke a pause and reflection or impulse and incitement?  What do we want, what will our releases evoke? What will cause others to marvel at the visible emotional outline we design?

While we should not shy away from social injustice, I pray that we will seek the guidance and direction of the Spirit In our interactions to confront it. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Galatians 5:22-26 (NET)