Happy, New Year and Welcome 2011!
I am a firm believer in the power of words. As discussed at the recent Writer’s Workshop: Advocacy Training, movements for effective social change were begun and bolstered and brought to fruition by the power of well written letter or essay. For example: “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” ( a must read for every advocate).
Therefore, for the daily blog, I will share a favorite quotation and briefly expound upon why that is and the meaning it carries for advocates.
WORDS WORK 1: “Love’s first step is attention.” ~ Simone Weil
We live our lives attempting to capture another’s attention. Long before the blight of Reality TV, we have longed to be noticed and get our “15 minutes.” For those whom we love, we notice the subtle changes. New parents can tell the day, minute, and hour when the newborn first smiles or looks or grasps.
Being an advocate demands us to pay attention and inspire others to take notice of situations, populations, and social shifts. If we were honest, a major reason why we do so is because of our love for the person, the cause, the justice.
This 2011, pay attention and stay aware. It’s going to be quite a journey!