A Tale of Two Worlds

What a very hard season our Nation is going through. My heart breaks for all who are oppressed and mistreated by those who are more powerful. Our country feels like it is being ripped at the seams. I was raised demonstrating in the Washington, D.C. area and I know what it is to be tear gassed when you are peacefully demonstrating. I have witnessed my mother being arrested while peacefully demonstrating against apartheid in South Africa. I was raised in a Quaker Meeting that was a stop on the modern Underground Railroad, shepherding Cambodian refugees to Canada. Our Quaker Meeting was and still is in the shadow of the CIA. It was a turbulent time. Here we still are. There is so much injustice in the world it weighs heavy on my heart. In no way do I feel that the rioting, which is a small part of what is going on, is the way to change. I truly feel that the rioting is from opportunists who are taking advantage of the terrible pain and unrest our country is experiencing. Our city was holding its own for a few days. There were peaceful demonstrations and everything was safe. But in the last few days riots have started and we are now under curfew at night. There is a rumor that bus loads of agitators are being brought in from Georgia. Two people I know saw one of the bus loads being dropped off. We have been blessed with no looting. There have been many windows broken. Our city is boarded up. We are in turmoil. I pray for people to learn to love each other as Jesus loves all of us and to walk in each other's shoes so that we can find a common ground to go forward in love and peace.

As usual our city impresses me so much. Yes, the store owners have boarded up their windows. However, they have decorated their boards with love and support. I took photos as I drove through downtown, and there were many store owners on ladders painting pictures on the boards. It is an amazing sight. I hope to get back down today or tomorrow and take more pictures. One store painted "LOVE IS NOT CANCELLED" on their wall.

In what seems like another world, we finished our last week of school. Anne is done with 11th grade and Dean is graduating from high school today. I will be posting all the fun we plan to have for his graduation in a few days. We went on a marvelous end of the year field trip to Grandfather's Mountain. What a breath of fresh air, literally and figuratively! We packed a picnic lunch and enjoyed lunch at Split Rock. 

Dean climbed to the top of Split Rock.

We then moved on to their tiny zoo. It was filled with local animals who are injured in some way and can't live in the wild any longer.

Lastly, we climbed (by car) to the top of Grandfather's Mountain and walked across the mile high swinging bridge. It was about 15 degrees colder at the top and the wind was blowing like crazy. The bridge scared Tim and Anne to death, but they made it across both ways. I personally loved the bridge and drove my kids crazy standing on it enjoying the panoramic views.

It was truly a blessing to get away for the day, even if we only got two counties away. It was the farthest we have been from home since the quarantine started.

Blessings, Dawn