Mediative Walk : Noticing Color-- and #IWonder How we can all come together as PEOPLE during this time

Photo of one of my sacred spaces, Beckwith Camp and Conference Center in Alabama. This is the outdoor altar. { Photo by The Pensacola Hippie }

The weather was weird this morning. Brian and planned to walk the nature trail at the university this morning, but rain and dark skies 

It was well after Noonday Prayer when I finally got out for one mile walk. On days such as today , when weather is unpredictable, I don't stress to hard about meeting my 10,000 steps Fitbit goal.  Anyway, on my walk I was aware of all the sights and sounds around me--- and the blooming hydrangea bush in the front yard beckoned to me. So, I turned off the music, and went to visit the plants. Stooping down, I gently touched several of the blooms, paying attention to the texture of the petals. I took in the several shades of purple that were represented on these bushes.

Hydrangia plants in full bloom on my walking route. I love the various shades of purple represented here

Purple is my favorite color-- and I was delighted to see several different shades on one plant. This reminded me that Creator God delights in all the colors in all God's creation. Plants and animals  appear on Earth in delightful shades of color-- and I've always wondered why humans--- especially we white humans make such a fuss about skin color.  We delight in the color combinations of other living things { both plants and animals} so why must we { again white American people } assign random " good" and " bad" connotations to non-white members of our own species? 

I am honestly not looking to start an argument here-- all I know is that if God made humanity in God's own image-- setting us slightly above the other creatures-- why does color matter to some people? Racism makes no sense to me-- and with the current surge in public lashing out on Asian-Americans-- 

I'm seeing an ugly underbelly of the nation that I love  I'm 44 years old, and in the past three years I've not seen such hatred { mostly done by White Straight and very insecure and angry men}I'll confess right here that I find loving such people who perpetuate such violence.

How can we show other people that all humans, regardless of the color of their skin, are Beloved. This virus pandemic has no favorites-- people of all colors are catching it. Perhaps one Great Lesson that we can learn from this awful pandemic is to appreciate the colors of people who don't match our skin tone. 

Perhaps on this Ascension Day, we can remember that Jesus is no longer confined to one human person He died , rose , and ascended into the Creator so that He is in and with all of us. Since we re all made in the Image of the Creator, and Jesus is in and with all of us -- perhaps it is time to stop dividing God's People into colors These " colors" include :

Skin color

Gender identity

Sexuality { however that is expressed, one's sexuality IS NOT necessarily defined by one's partner or spouse}

Age{ Both anti-old people and anti-younger people}

Socioeconomic status. 

I am sure there are others. 

Have a Blessed Ascension Day evening. Remember that Christ is in both YOU nd everyone-- including the" other" whom you see as different. 

Pax Christos....

~Sarah