Stillness 9-15: A few weeks ago, I watched a documentary called No Direction Home about Bob Dylan’s early career. When I was growing up, I cared far more for Joan Baez than Bob’s music. For many decades I thought it was because of my life-long love of folk music. Folk music—international folk music—was what I played on my guitar, what I sang, and what I listened to. Back then, in the 1960s-70s, my beloved Joan Baez was part of a world-wide movement that struck at the heart of culture, society, and heartstrings.
During the film, I was particularly interested in the story of why Bob and Joan eventually went their separate ways. Looking back over their lives, the reason became clear. Bob was a genius, an artist, a poet. The art was the thing—art generally, and his art, in particular. I understand that. But Joan felt that the cause was the thing. Community was the thing. The world and its issues were the thing. In the documentary, she describes how back then she believed you either had to be for or against the war in Vietnam. You were either a racist or you protested against racism. You were either part of the civil rights movement or you were against it. You had to stand up and declare who you were.
Earlier in the last century my great-grandmother felt the same way about women’s suffrage: You either had to stand up for a woman’s right to vote or you stood for the opposite. You could not be neutral. To be passive was to declare yourself in favor of the status quo. You were either for justice and fairness or against it.
The great divide that has happened in history over and over is coming to consciousness again at this time. How can we mitigate the seeming disasters of fires, selfishness, disease, and suffering? As I watched the documentary, I felt Joanie’s sweet, intelligent, passionate voice reverberating through me. We’re all being called to stand for what matters—in our own way. All we can do is what we can do. We can’t do more but we also cannot do less. We cannot be neutral because that is what allows hopelessness and dread to overwhelm us. So take a stand, whether it’s through painting, marching, donating, writing poetry, knitting, drinking tea, or having a nap. Or by taking a stand for stillness. It doesn’t have to be so hard! Do it because you love it. Remember that singing your heart out or even rest can mean standing up for what matters.