’tis the season for Good Trouble! In Georgia, for sure, and in the world.
Good Trouble is a phrase from the late Congressman John Lewis who passed on this fall. My Facebook feed is filled with faces of strangers become partners with their “I’m a Georgia Voter” stickers and the assurance that they’ve been up to good trouble. (Me, too!)
The glimpse of my Artifact painting, above, was painted on the night we lost John Lewis. As a painter, I was supposed to be “coding” my work with symbols and prayers that matter to my understanding of our time. (At least I think that’s what I was supposed to be doing. I know it’s what happened!)
My painting was also coded with my tears. And prayer dots, galore.
In my tradition, today is the fourth Sunday in the season of Advent. The candle lit for this day is commonly known as the candle for Peace. I have lots of paintings with peace symbols, but this one insisted on showing up, instead, because it seems to me that we’re highly unlikely to make Peace without Hope.
So, longing for Peace and Hope, I rounded up some friends today and we made a bit of good trouble. Women with paper and markers and dreams, busting out of stuck and heading for more. For glorious, as a matter of fact!
If that sounds good to you, you can join in, too. The workshop, Make Your Own Miracles… 3 Creative Tools to Feel Better Now starts next Sunday (12/27) at 1pm ET. There’s more information Here! And, when the tech elves have learned a new thing or two, there will be a recording from today’s preview. I’ll let you know, for sure.
One friend asked me why I’m doing this in the middle of all the hard stuff that’s going on in the world.
You guessed it… because, while the hard stuff is very real, it’s not the only stuff and I’m totally convinced that it helps the world when we remember that there is hope and take part in it.
Also, I suppose, because I’m a fan of good trouble. If you are, too, I think you’d add a lot to the journey!
For now, my deep thanks to you for being here and reading along. This whole blog thing started with the notion that GRANDMOTHERS ARE IN CHARGE OF HOPE. I’m still all in!
And if, by chance, you live in Georgia and haven’t voted yet, John Lewis and I are counting on you!
ps… Just between us, the actual video making, etc. is easier than the editing and sharing and all that comes after it. Just in case you have questions about the workshop that you can’t find answers for, just email me at suesvoice@gmail.com I’m way better with answers than with which button to push!