joy is not a circumstance

I have experienced such incredible JOY in the last few weeks here in Seattle.

But tonight, I feel very little of that joy.

I would much rather be sleeping in these precious wee hours of the morning, but my brain has latched onto too many thoughts to allow slumber to take over my body.

I am thinking of the refugees I work with on the daily. I dreamed about them all last night. I dreamed about the realities that they faced before they came to this country. I dreamed about the realities that they face now that they are in this country.

I sit here, and think about how so much of their life story has been focused on SURVIVAL...on RUNNING. I think about how many of them are refugees because being friendly to the United States put them in danger. I think about how many of those people who served our international interests are still waiting for rescue across the globe. I think about how some will never get that rescue.

I think about how much they are misunderstood here in really every way possible.

I think about how much my head hurt after one afternoon of trying to learn one of their languages so that we could communicate with more ease. I think about how that is their every day.

I think about how they do not cease to be refugees simply because they have made it to this new country...they are still looking for a true home...a community...a livelihood.

I think about how people with Engineering degrees are now sitting in a classroom learning what the words "up" and "down" mean.

In this moment I also think of how much they

smile

laugh

crack jokes

invite me to tea

patiently repeat words in their languages so that I can learn

look on the bright side of EVERYTHING

If they were here right now, listening to this rant, I am certain they would be shaking their heads and laughing at me. "This woman crazy!" (yes, they have said this about me).

They have made me view so much of my life through a completely different lens.
They are refugees, sure, but that should not define who they are - Just as my degree or hometown or social class should not define who I am.

OUR CIRCUMSTANCES DO NOT DEFINE WHO WE ARE.

If you don't believe me, you should come visit the class where I work and be bathed in the joy that these folks carry in with them every day.


Thinking about them now
in this moment
I am really truly filled with JOY and PEACE.

Will you allow your heart to be defined by joy instead of circumstance?



Support refugees. They have so much to teach us.

..........

Some pertinent information that has been stewing around the workplace: 

The newly announced quota for refugees that will be allowed into the United States in this next fiscal year is the lowest number proposed by a President since 1980. I don't pretend to know how you feel about this, but I believe that this is a conversation that we must engage in with understanding and open hearts.

If you'd like to address how you think we should best care for refugees, you can share your opinion by calling your members of congress using these online directories:
US Senate: https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
US House of Representatives: https://www.house.gov/representatives/

This is a Democratic Republic. We all get stuck thinking that our voice doesn't matter in this big political process sometimes...but I wonder if it is because we don't take the time to use it that often.

Please. Use your voice.