Elie Wiesel died yesterday.
His passing led to my reflection on all the beautiful voices that inspire us, give us hope, and teach peace, forgiveness, and justice. There are many. They were as wise as they were varied, speaking a singular message with different accents. And I smiled.
This morning I was watching a video about Brexit and read a plaque commemorating a manufacturer’s strike in Northern England. The plaque read “Never Forget. Never Forgive.” And I cried.
We have had so many voices heard & lauded yet get lost in the void and noise and, though their words and movement touch the heart of many, do not seem to impact the whole. And I wonder why.
I wonder how, too, do we inspire those in our own generations and those behind us to make their voices heard–to shout and sing and wail to keep giving us hope and teach peace, forgiveness, justice and mercy. How do we let them know their voices will not be in vain? That we can both hear, be touched and learn from them?
How can we give them voice and usher them forward when we are so afraid to engage with those who have come before them or heed their progenitors? When we are so afraid to engage our own?
Here’s one beautiful voice reciting that of another, courtesy Maria Popova at Brainpickings.