Americans Who Tell The Truth

I was never one of those teenagers who went wild whenever they heard or saw Elvis Presley perform. I thought the idolization of Princess Diana was absurd. I really do not care what celebrity gets pregnant, married, loses weight, or has a mental breakdown. Yet there are people who have earned my respect and when I have an opportunity to be in their presence, I feel honored. One of those people, Jane Goodall , I met years ago in Eugene, Oregon. Another woman I have admired is Terry Tempest Williams, best known for her environmental literature classic, Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place. She has been called “a citizen writer,” a fierce advocate for freedom of speech and an ethical stance towards all life. Bob and I sat in the audience last night as she spoke and read from her new book, Finding Beauty in a Broken World.

It was a sellout crowd and we arrived early to get a good seat. As the pews at the Congregational Church filled, there was a jubilant feeling in the air. I could hear people talking about President Obama’s first week in office, their feelings of optimism, and plans for a grassroots organization to help bring about change. We’ll meet in homes and serve fresh baked cookies. People always come when there are cookies… we can call our group “Cookies for Change.” Terry Tempest Williams would have smiled had she heard that. Her new book is about repairing a broken world by coming together as a community.

When asked in an interview, who she envisioned as the audience for her new book, she said: We are at a transformative moment in time. We have just elected a transformative figure as our president of the United States of America. Barack Obama asked us to consider two words, "sacrifice" and "service." What are we in the service of? I believe each of us are asking how we can engage with hope once again. How can we be of use? We are asking ourselves the very real question, "How do we find beauty in a broken world? How do we pick up the pieces and create something new, together?

The audience I envision for this book is the audience who gathers together in the name of social change. It is for the individual who wonders how they can participate in a life of greater intention, each in our own way, each in our own time with the talents that are ours. The audience for this book is the audience interested in building community.

How do we do this?

Trust your heart, follow your passion and share it with others.

Become biologically literate -- learn the names of the plants, birds, and animals where you live, extending your notion of community to include all life. Become part of that community with all the rights and responsibilities that it offers, both human and wild.

Create something beautiful.

I was fourth in line to have my book autographed. I watched as she talked to each person who stood in front of her. There is nothing false about her. Her face reveals the inner beauty of her spirit and we are a better world for her courage to write and speak the truth.

... P. L. Morningstar