You Are Loved
On Friday I arrived to my part time congregation in Ames, Iowa, in the frigid cold to see chalk paintings on the walks leading up to the country-feeling congregational building. I thought to myself, How lovely. The religious schoolteachers must have brought the children outside to make chalk drawings. I remember that as a child, drawing peace signs was a common pastime.
The next day, sitting at a lunch and learn, the topic of the drawings came up. Someone told us that they were not the creation of the school’s children, but rather the artwork of children from the local Unitarian church. In response to the election, they felt very strongly that they needed to inform all minorities that they were not only welcome, but belonged to our American community fabric. And so the children went to the local mosque and Jewish congregation and drew these colorful and loving drawings that adorned both the entry walkways to the building.
The first to catch one’s eye was a peace sign with the words “hope” and “love” inside it, and a heart. Further toward the building were the words, “We all belong.” On the second walkway was a circle surrounded by alternating stick figure people and hearts, enclosing the words, “One world of love.” Finally, wrapped around the stairway in very large letters, was: “YOU ARE LOVED.”
Even as I write this, I am moved to tears. It is not unusual for us to comfort those we love who are in pain, or respond to someone’s need when they ask. It is much less common to offer an unsolicited outreach of love, a random act of kindness, because it speaks to the soul to do so.
Our country and our world are in a time of change. For many, fear seems to overpower kindness and love. Yet to transform the feeling of fear into the feeling of love takes a simple act of kindness. May we reach out to others this Thanksgiving season to increase the love in our world, finding ways to make people feel included, appreciated and valued. And may we allow the loving kindness of others to penetrate into our hearts and our souls, reminding us that we are all one human family.
We at In the Gardens wish you a Thanksgiving of peace, wholeness, oneness and abundance.
Rabbi Robin Damsky