Haibun: Getting Clear
As the pandemic was in full lockdown and the George Floyd protests were underway, I had the chance to spend an hour with our sheriff, Mark Lamb.
We are on the opposite sides of the political spectrum, but we both understood our humanity, so we became friends. As we talked, the subject came up that he had a meeting with local groups that represented BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Color) communities and interests. To me he seemed a bit stressed about it. I encouraged him to use his time dropping off the election signs to get clear on what he thought and “to get to know what’s in your heart” and that clarity would produce the clarity and confidence he needed to have that meeting. He nodded. The next week, I talked to him again. He thanked me and said he appreciated the advice and it really helped him navigate the meeting.
Too often, it is my own lack of clarity that is my anxiety and my own time for clarity that is my confidence, even when the outcome is against me. Time is teaching me that getting clear is my path to self-empowerment.
