As I drove to get coffee this morning, I saw them out in full force. The mystics, the sages among us.
One was sitting by a quiet lake, book in hand, about to meditate.
Another was one of just a few left outside a church after service ended. They were holding hands and praying.
And then there was me, reading “Speeches That Changed the World,” sipping coffee out of my favorite cup—one meant to put some brightness into a rather dark morning.
When the world disappoints—when global leaders speak with brash idiocy and bravado rather than wisdom, when scared and hateful people do frightening and hate-filled things like they did in Charlottesville, Va. this week—mystics and sages maintain the energy of sanity. Even if we have to pull out our special mugs to keep our own.
They are wise enough not to try to make sense of the senseless but disturbed enough to feel they must contribute to the collective good. Reading, meditating, praying—these are not warrior strengths. But they can change a collective consciousness in ways no battle ever has. They teach what they learn, they speak wherever people will listen. They cook the dinners, bring the flowers, light the candles. Do you think these things are not revolutionary in times like those we’re living in? You would be oh so wrong. They keep us from wallowing in the misery of it all, beating our chests and spinning our wheels. They encourage us to get up, do good, again and again and again. No matter what hate throws at us.
My youngest is a sage. An old soul. He has been absorbing the written word in all its varied forms from a very young age. Stockpiling what he learns until he has a chance to apply it. I hope, as a mother would, he does so for the collective good.
I birthed a warrior also. I’m sure there are plenty of those out there this morning also; they were just not quite so visible on my drive. The governor of Virginia—now there’s a warrior. His words yesterday could not have been a clearer blow to hatred and bigotry. And I have a feeling, should the haters want to demonstrate again, they’ll find a well-armed force to greet them.
My warrior would run into battle without a second thought. Reminiscent of my father, who spoke and acted far too often without thinking first, I respect his traits. I remember my father speaking just once to me of the disciplinary action taken against him in the Air Force during WWII. He came to the aid of a fellow flight crew member in a bar fight on their weekend furlough. He paid dearly for it, but said that is what you do for friends.
My son, also loyal to a fault, is the same. As are most warriors. They are the ones who will go toe to toe with the hatemongers, face to face, fist to fist.
I have a little of both within me. As a woman who has battled a quick temper, a sharp tongue, and a tendency not to suffer fools lightly, I have done my share of warrior duty. But, as I’ve aged, I see the benefits of sagacity, of gentleness, of believing differently in a world that has forgotten how to believe at all.
I guess the world needs sages and warriors. I am not yet enough of a sage to say that with certainty. But I also allow room for the possibility that we will groom a hybrid generation—one that combines the best qualities of sages and warriors. We could certainly use that alchemy right about now.
I’ll close with a quote you warriors will appreciate, in light of Charlottesville.
“I am personally going to shoot that paper-hanging sonofabitch Hitler.” –General George S. Patton Jr, in a speech to the U.S. Third Army on the eve of D-Day, June 5, 1944.
My father was a proud part of defeating Nazi ideals decades ago. There are precious few left of the Greatest Generation and we should listen to their words of wisdom while we can. Let’s not leave room for mass hatred again. Hate has no place in a generation that should know far better.
And now—from a warrior of words, better known as a sage with a sword: “I believe in the law of love . . . I believe you can do nothing with hatred . . . I would like to see a time when man loves his fellow man, and forgets his color or his creed. We will never be civilized until that time comes.” –Clarence Darrow, in his closing speech in defense of Henry Sweet, April, 1926.
Amen to that. Let’s go forth and bring light to our respective corners of the world. No matter what we are–sage, mystic, warrior–the world needs us right now.
candidkay 
I have to agree with you. Time for the Warriors to take a backseat to the sages in these hateful times. I don’t understand how so few (because most people believe in love) can drown out so many.
Yes! Sages aren’t always sexy. I think so many people still look to their president to sound like an action hero. We don’t need an action hero–we just need more wisdom combined with action.
Well we are 😘
I think it’s because of the excitement of a super hero – that and all the blasted movies that make it look like that’s the way to go.
One of the reasons I so enjoy “Designated Survivor”…
Well said, K. Today’s generations should know a lot better than to support the haters.
I just can’t believe people are born to hate. This must be taught.
Thank you so much for this. My father also served in the Air Force. He sacrificed and risked. He lost buddies. He saw things he never spoke about. When he heard Taps being played, he always grew somber. When he visited the WWII Memorial in D.C., the plaintive, wavering bugle tones had him in tears. Me too. I thought of him as the disgusting and disappointing images from Charlottesville seared my consciousness. Especially this one — two men walking side by side, one carrying a Confederate flag, the other a Nazi banner. And the torches, illuminating hate, brandished as weapons. We need sages and warriors. We need to overcome, to stand up, to defend our values. Again and again. Forever.
Couldn’t agree more. Did you see the response from the 82nd Airborne to seeing a white supremacist wearing one of their hats? It was epic–along the lines of, anyone at a march like yours would not ever be a member of the 82nd. Take it off.
Terrific and timely post, Kristine. Yes, we are all needed during these senseless and despicable times to stand up to the hatred and those in charge who choose to ignore what is obvious to the rest of us. Hate is easy for those who posses nothing of substance.
Love is a much more difficult emotion but so worth it in the end.
As the community of Sandy Hook said so well a few years ago…I choose love.
Thank God Trump wasn’t around to hold a press conference on Sandy Hook.
That would have been disturbing and painful.
So very true. I choose love, not hate.
I think an army of us do. Thank God.
Amen to your words Kristine. Every day we can hold a space for love and healing in the world. We do make a difference in this presence and I’m not stopping for anyone! 🙏🏻💚💕
Current times really put our beliefs to the test, don’t they? I certainly hope there are a growing number of us out there who see the value in raising our collective energy.
Yes!! So true!
So get your mystic on today, girl . . . 🙂
Amen! Say it sister! Right on! What I’d love to do is take each and every hate monger, and one by one spend time with them and introduce them to life without hate and fear. I’d like to let them know that their life can feel very different, and throw some energy healing on them. A girl can dream, can’t she?
Now that is a mystic’s response:). Not surprised!
What I’ve learned from my own life, is, people who harbor hate for others, actually harbor that same level of hate towards an aspect of themselves; just turned outwards. (I know you know this).
We just have to stand (and act), in our hearts truth Kay. It is the politician type that spiels so much, but in fact does nothing or a very warped version of what was promised. And because those type of people are always in the media, all we see and feel is this wall of distrust, slowly eating us away.
Stand back in our hearts, and ‘be’ the truth of what we know we are…our truth, and let go what no longer serves us. That then will be what is put out into the world as you said. The sages, mystics and heart warriors never used to get a look in…but now that distrust, anger and delusion has become so prominent, their truth shines out even brighter. May your warriors always ‘be’ that path ❤
Unfortunately, the majority of politicians tend to be the ones who percent themselves as the big deals I wrote about last week. And they’re so not.
I think that most of them have a problem…ie the need to step up and do the ‘look at me’ because they feel small in some way, a self worth issue if you will…oh, and the greedy ones too 😀
The hard part is they are actually running the country, and the corruption just gets deeper. I think we need to re-take our countries, and I don’t mean by force.
It’s quite simple really, bring in a system of where we actually get to vote on multiple issues, especially where it concerns large amounts of money, and it will bring about a real democracy, not the garbage they shovel down our throats now. It only has to be done say 2 or 3 times a year (trust me, they argue and debate most stuff to death and still don’t get it to a vote any quicker than that 😀 ), and we will get to actually see what is in these things instead of these hidden agendas tucked away in the back of some policy somewhere that the public never seems to hear about.
We have the technology for it and all it needs is our Tax File No or Medical No (or a similar number), or even a face recognition system at where you can vote and its done.
Let’s take back our democracy that has been hijacked by so many for their own greedy issues, and become what is right and fair for us all instead of the few in our countries 😀
Couldn’t agree more!
Hear hear Kristine, sometimes it feels as though there’s not enough we can do, but I love this reflection on those quiet ways of revolution.
I know we need the Warriors, but I have a feeling the way out of our current situation is through the mystics and the sages.