Love Is the Only Way

Friends, 

I received a letter from an old friend that I haven’t seen in a long time.  His name is John Mabry.  We worked together in Berkeley California.  His letter touched me deeply.  It is so moving that I am sharing it with all of you.  Know that I love you.  Find ways to love those who seem unlovable.  Love is the only way we can move through the wave of craziness and the fear that is running rampant.

Thank you, John, for trusting your love to me and to so many.  

Here is John’s letter for all of us:

I have felt numb and a bit shell-shocked since hearing the news about the Orlando massacre Sunday morning. I’m still trying to sort out my feelings and thoughts about it. I listen to the news compulsively, waiting for the next bit of news that will somehow piece it all together and make sense of it—I’m still waiting, of course. We all are. 

Something that moved me greatly was receiving a text from a dear friend yesterday, saying that he loved me. It was unexpected, out of the blue, and completely unlike him. Perhaps he was simply acting on an internet meme that I’m not aware of, but wherever the idea came from, it was also the perfect response. 

None of us know when tragedy will strike. How many of those killed on Sunday would have loved to have told those closest to them that they loved them? Most of them, surely. Being out and proud about our love may be the best response we can make. 

So I want to tell you all that I love you, and I cherish the family we have at Grace North. I encourage us all to express our love not only to people we know, but to those we don’t. Let’s express and display our love for the GLBT community, locally and worldwide. Let’s express our love for the Latina/Latino community. Let’s express our love for the Muslim community. Let’s express our love for our fellow Americans, especially those we disagree with most. Let’s express our love for people who are confused or hurting or angry or scared, all over the world. 

How should we do this? I don’t know that, but I trust our creativity. I think it starts with intention, but the opportunities will present themselves organically, perpetually, relentlessly. We don’t lack for people in the Bay Area. We certainly don’t lack people who are different from us! And every encounter is an opportunity to reach out in love. 

I know, we’re supposed to do that all the time, but it’s especially important now. The appropriate response to this kind of hatred isn’t anger or retribution or violence or fear, and it’s certainly not more hatred. It’s love. It always is.

So I press my forehead against yours, I hold you tightly, and I tell you I love you.

And now, a prayer for the Orlando victims - Author Unknown

Walking our Prayer:

We walk tonight in anger and sorrow

in memory of those who died on Sunday morning

died dancing,

died singing,

died embracing,

died laughing,

died in the arms of lovers and friends,

died loving and being loved

died being fully themselves

in the Pulse.

They fell in a rain

of fully automatic Hate. Their lives ran out

and wet the floor.

We walk tonight

remembering their names,

the little we know of their short stories.

We walk in grief and love

wondering who they would have become,

what gifts they might have given,

what lives they might have blessed,

had they lived into their own blossoming.

They were, most of them, so young.

Keeper of Sanity, Civilizer of Hearts,

Great Web of Connection,

Hope Held Deep,

we dance our lives in your name,

in the name of fully automatic Love,

calling down a rain of Love

on the bereaved and the survivors,

on witnesses and first responders,

a rain of Wisdom, Compassion and Inspiration

on those in a position to prevent these horrors,

a rain of Hope and Determination

on all who have had enough

and are prepared to bring to an end

once and for all

this scourge of meaningless deaths.

May It Be So.

AMEN.

Victims’ Names 

Stanley Almodovar III, 23 years old

Amanda Alvear, 25 years old

Oscar A Aracena-Montero, 26 years old

Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33 years old

Antonio Davon Brown, 29 years old

Darryl Roman Burt II, 29 years old

Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28 years old

Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25 years old

Luis Daniel Conde, 39 years old

Cory James Connell, 21 years old

Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25 years old

Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32 years old

Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31 years old

Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25 years old

Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26 years old

Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22 years old

Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22 years old

Paul Terrell Henry, 41 years old

Frank Hernandez, 27 years old

Miguel Angel Honorato, 30 years old

Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40 years old

Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19 years old

Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30 years old

Anthony Luis Laureanodisla, 25 years old

Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32 years old

Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 years old

Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, 49 years old

Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25 years old

Kimberly Morris, 37 years old

Akyra Monet Murray, 18 years old

Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20 years old

Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25 years old

Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 years old

Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 years old

Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35 years old

Enrique L. Rios, Jr., 25 years old

Jean C. Nives Rodriguez, 27 years old

Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35 years old

Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24 years old

Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24 years old

Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 years old

Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33 years old

Martin Benitez Torres, 33 years old

Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega, 24 years old

Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37 years old

Luis S. Vielma, 22 years old

Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez, 50 years old

Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 years old

Jerald Arthur Wright, 31 years old