A few days ago I was hiking with my husband and we came across a bench in memory of Sylvia and Irving Silver “who lived life with a passion for justice”.
This got me thinking, what would my bench say?
I asked my husband, “what do you think our bench would say?” He responded, “I feel like I only qualify for a memorial folding chair.”
That is my husband, always underestimating the contribution he makes to the world.
I think our bench would say, “Missy & Jim – she saved the women, he saved the oceans.”
What would your bench say?
Would it say you lived in fear and remained frozen in your rickety folding chair? Or would it say you spoke up against tyranny?
Would your bench say, “She gave up in the face of adversity” or would it say, “She rallied when beaten down and conquered her demons.”
Too often we see things that bother us, hear things that disturb us, bear things that fell us to the ground, witness injustice and do nothing. We stay stuck. We stay quiet. We stay put. Our butts fall through the worn out threads of the folding chair and we can’t get out.
Lately I have been waking up and thinking, “How can I kick ass today?” I set lofty goals every morning. Sometimes I soar and sometimes I plummet to the ground. But every day when I go to bed and reflect upon my day, I know that I got off that rickety folding chair and focused on my intention to inspire badass change in the world.
Sherry Ann Clark never missed an opportunity to teach, laugh, or help. I imagine she didn’t stay all folded up in that aluminum chair waiting for someone to help her out, otherwise she wouldn’t have this beautiful bench placed in her honor.
This week I challenge you to do one thing that scares you. Challenge yourself to follow a crazy dream. Take a risk. Go big.
My bench will say:
Melissa Bird speaker, writer, teacher, social justice badass. Her words changed the world and inspired all who knew her.
What will your bench say?