To the Hypocrites
A celebration.
I saw a man in a supermarket checkout line recently. He wore an outspoken shirt that had some kind of ‘save the planet’ type slogan on it. The 20 or so items on the conveyor belt before him were all wrapped in soft plastic, including some fresh produce that could easily have been placed instead in a fabric bag.
I let out a guttural sigh and muttered something under my breath.
As we walked out of the shop, a spirit of grace ambushed me before I knew what was happening.
You know what? I thought (under spiritual duress). Hurray for the hypocrites.
What a gift to this world, that we have people that are willing to come up short.
That we have people who are willing to give something important an imperfect shot.
That we have people who ditch ‘all or nothing’ thinking, for doing what they can when they can, to the extent of their current ability.
Hurray for the ones who don’t have all the information but follow their instincts through the unknown.
Hurray for the ones who don’t have energy all of the time. Who are weighed down by their own personal challenges, but muster all they have to occasionally do hard things that are good.
Hurray for the ones who bang on about gentle parenting but who lose their patience more often than they want to. Who dust themselves off and practice gentleness again when they can.
Hurray for the ones who denounce racism but have a few blind spots when it comes to the ground work. Who find this out and make changes as their awareness grows.
Let’s celebrate the people who can say both - “This thing is very important,” and also, “I am so tired.”
Let’s celebrate people who don’t just cherry pick their strengths and uphold them as the most important values. Who reach out beyond themselves and say - “This thing is important too, but I’m no expert. I am learning though.”
Let’s celebrate the people who are capable, but don’t have the capacity in this season.
Let’s celebrate the people who can’t do it all, but who make one small change every now and then.
Let’s celebrate the pull of aspirations.
Trust in the timing of our individual becomings.
Revere the slow process of the movement from cognitive values to embodiment.
Maybe it’s ok for the climate activists to have the heater on today, because putting in extra effort to keep warm is beyond them in this moment.
Maybe it’s ok for the fierce health advocate to have takeaway tonight because thinking up dinner ideas takes the kind of mental work they just can’t access right now.
Maybe it’s ok to think disposable nappies are terrible but use them on your child, because the alternative in this challenging season is a serious breakdown of your mental health.
Maybe it’s ok to preach to your friends about organic produce and not be able to afford it.
Maybe you can celebrate small business and quality made products, and still shop at crappy old kmart because wow, life is expensive.
Hurray for every choice we make to put our values in hibernation until we’re supported, healthy, capable, educated or financially stable enough to action them well.
Until we have space within to take on the burden of standing for something.
Hurray for every fumbly attempt that completely misses the point.
Hurray for every backstep, sidestep, blind spot and blunder.
Hurray for trying our best.
Hurray for the hypocrites.
Holding deep care in their present and powerful action in their future.
Who speak fondly and passionately of things they can’t yet accomplish.
Who entertain ideas whilst quietly building a room for them to eventually inhabit.
Much love,
Lysette
