Choose Wisdom Over Rhetoric

The clamor of outrage these days can be overwhelming—so loud it rattles the spirit, so relentless it wears me down. What steadies me is remembering: our country has faced this before, and history offers stories of courage that still speak to the heart.

During World War II, Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps under the banners of “relocation” and “patriotism.” Photographer Dorothea Lange was hired to make the camps appear acceptable. Instead, she followed the wisdom of her heart. With courage and compassion, she captured grief etched on faces, the dignity of families holding one another, and the stark reality of their confinement. Her images were so piercingly honest that many were hidden away by the very officials who commissioned them.

We face the same choice today. We can be swept up by fear and outrage, or we can pause, breathe, and let the deeper wisdom of the heart rise. Like Dorothea, we can look past the noise and notice the presence of Spirit in ourselves and in those who are hurting.

Take time apart when you need to. In silence, truth surfaces. Out of presence, your thoughts, words and actions will arise from wisdom, compassion, courage, and love.