Every Monday morning at Acumen, in all of our offices, we hold a staff meeting. It starts with context from the last week and ends with “Aha’s,” reflections from the previous week relevant to our work and to our mission.
These past few weeks have been a drumbeat of global news going from bad to worse, of fear taking center stage. At some point it gets hard to even find the right words.
Here are some of the reminders I heard from colleagues yesterday that I needed to hear.
That if you’re paying attention to the world right now, you are probably hurting.
That if you come across someone who is hurting, they could use a sign of love, of warmth, of kindness, maybe even a hug.
That we can express care and connection through actions big and small.
That how we act in each of our daily interactions has ripple effects for us and for those around us.
That the world desperately needs the people who are fighting against evil, against injustice, and against division to remain hopeful.
That these same people need support from people who, today, are sitting on the sidelines.
And that being part of an organization that is working to make positive change in the world puts us in a leveraged position to be a force for good, and that this in itself is a reason to redouble our efforts and redouble our hope.
Please, let us keep at it. Let us keep fighting the fight.
Please, let us keep listening to each other and holding each other in our hearts.
Please, let us show each other, and let us show those that are angry and frustrated and tired and hopeless, that what unites us is stronger than what divides us.
I do find a lot of value in your words about making positive change and sustaining hope. Thank you for taking the time to articulate your philosophy and process. Seeing how you and your team work together gives me hope that I can make a difference also.