women of a certain age are like sunflowers; they know how to turn their faces to the sun.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Only Love


"Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him. "

"I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word."

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that"

_Martin Luther King, Jr.

I cannot say it better, so I will not try...


13 comments:

Nan said...

Amen.
Thank you, Susan.

Orghlaith said...

Thank you for saying this. There is only one true power that we can wield. To love one another.

Yarndude said...

I completely agree. As so many celebrated, I sat in silent shock.

Unknown said...

I don't like the celebrating a death of any individual.

There are and have been some truly evil people in the world that their actions or directions to their followers cause huge amounts of pain, suffering and death of those whose existence was considered by the evil person to be an abomination.

I do not celebrate but I cannot mourn.

Susan Pandorf said...

Nor would I (or anyone) expect you to...

teabird said...

amen.

Ludmilla said...

I felt so alone until I read your post. Thank you.

Ash said...

Thank you.

Donna Lee said...

I walked around yesterday feeling terrible. Not that a wicked person was gone from the world but the way in which he was gone. It doesn't feel right to me. We're supposed to be better than that.

Like Ludmilla, I was feeling like the Lone Ranger. Now, not so much. And I was reluctant to express my point of view. I got talked right down when I did.

Jane said...

Thank you so much Susan for your post. I cannot celebrate violent death.

Päivikki said...

Thank you for your post. I thought all the Americans rejoice in the recent events. Now I know differently and I'm really glad.

Taleah said...

Beautiful. That last MLK quote is slightly incorrect. The first sentence is not MLK's. Someone added it and it's circulated about since.

Mary said...

Thank you so much. I too felt alone until I read that!