Ruin and treasure
My heart breaks as I watch whole countries crumble in the wake of hatred, unimaginable violence, and destruction. I do not understand and feel small as I try to think about solutions.
Cradling loaves of bread, this man weeps. Tears that could be for all that has been lost or tears that could be gratitude for the bread he holds. Or both. The bread he may be unable to provide as before – before his world became the battleground of dangerous egos and heartless acts. In this picture, we can only see a tiny bit of what his loss may include.
A bombed-out building – was it home, his children’s school, the hospital which had been caring for his loved ones? Whatever this building had been, its shelter is only a memory now.
And so we meet a balance of opposites – ruins and treasure. Unable to hold back the grief rising from his heart, this man walks ahead with food for the journey. He carries a treasure – simple yet basic. The ruins surrounding him are overwhelming. This picture captures the image of what was and the movement toward what will be.
I have always believed that phoenixes rise from ashes, whatever those ashes may be. Believing this requires that I, too, balance opposites. It is impossible to reach out to thousands of people displaced and homeless, which creates a sense of frustration in me.
Searching for a solution, I am reminded of a quote from Mother Teresa: “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
Today, I toss my stone across the waters through prayer. With this man’s picture before me, I offer prayers for all people displaced by wars as they search for peace, safety, and a place to call home.
Will you join me?
Beautiful.
Yes.