Justice

“Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both”. Eleanor Roosevelt

Justice is about listening and working to understand the needs and desires of others. It’s about communicating our needs and desires and then working toward common a goal. This cannot happen if we are not willing to have a real conversation about our differences. Divisive and incendiary posts on social media can make conversations next to impossible.

I imagine Eleanor Roosevelt knitting and listening to conversations. I know that knitting adds an element of calmness to the environment. The steady click of the needles creates a non-anxious presence that lends itself to listening and truly hearing the ideas, fears, and questions of the other.

As we wait to celebrate the love that came down on Christmas, we can think about who we might want to sit down with and have a conversation. How can we be more open to those we may have written off because we haven’t really heard their side? Most controversial issues have a common goal but we may just disagree about the best way to get there. Imagine a world where we all worked together for the good of all people.

Maybe we should consider hosting some knit athons and really listen to each other so we can find justice for all.