Reflections from October 16th, 2023

To everyone who receives this, to all who have participated and cared about what Radical Aliveness is and what it does, I want to speak to you.

I have been in Israel since October 1st. I know that many of you have been writing, asking if I am okay. Yes, I am okay.

I had come to do my laboratory work with a group of Palestinians and Jews who have committed to opening their eyes and hearts. I was in the Sinai in Egypt on October 6th, and we woke to the terrible news on October 7th. My Palestinian co-leader Sylvie and I headed back to Israel.

Since that time, I have been doing different things: meeting each member of the group, doing a Zoom for caretakers, planning workshops with both Jews and Palestinians in Israel, but maybe the most important is gathering our group together on Zoom to each say what was true for them. Until the last moment, I didn’t know who would come, but 16 of the 18 people came.

No meeting like this is sweet, but nor was it ugly. It was filled with despair and horror and grief and hopelessness and the willingness to allow all the different perspectives to be heard.

I felt it was a miracle, but maybe in fact, human beings are miracles. We are capable of the worst acts of horror and the greatest acts of love.

I am not sure what I want to say except maybe this: we have this one short life. If you are still breathing, do the good you are meant to do. Stand against hate wherever you see it in whatever is your way. Listen to others who think differently than you do. Stretch your heart to hold more. Feel your own pain, and make the deepest commitment you can to not pass it on. Do what you came to do. GIVE. Give what you can. Please. Give what you can.

Love, Ann