What is your spirit?

Racism in this country has me so bummed right now. Given the latest headlines, I find myself thinking about how horrible some people are. And yet, thankfully, we have among us those with righteous, compassionate spirits. Which has me wondering about my own spirit. What am I really about?

I just finished the draft for my book. Yes, a miracle, opening the way for tweaking and rewriting. It’s my very personal statement on parenting, relationships, self-discovery and creativity. If it’s any good at all, it might bring a little more understanding, humor and inspiration to the world. That’s my thing — I think I’m a celebratory spirit.

There’s nothing to celebrate in the total injustice done to the late Trayvon Martin by the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial. And don’t even get me started on the unbelievable idiocy surrounding the release of phony, racist names in the Asiana plane crash.

But I do want to celebrate the spirit of outrage that is keeping a spotlight on both these cases. The outcry gives me hope for change. A big thank you from me to the righteous spirits who took to the streets in protest on behalf of the late Trayvon Martin. In the Asiana case, I’m glad they called out the federal officials and media nitwits at Fox affiliate KTVU Fox affiliate.  

So I’m thinking that is a good time to pause and figure out our own gifts. We each bring something unique to making a difference in our own daily routines and the lives of others. It’s what we have to offer in addressing the world’s sad and ugly realities. 

When I was cleaning out my desk the other day, I found part of the printed program from a church service that I attended a while back. You won’t find me in houses of worship very often but it was good to be there on this particular Sunday. The sermon was about the need for each of us to identify our spirits.

I must’ve found this piece of paper for a reason, probably to share it with you. Here’s what was printed on it:

Give a descriptor of your (desired) spirit.

What needs to be left behind?

What I want to embrace in order to become that person.

In filling out the answers, I decided that I am a celebratory spirit. To achieve the fullness of that calling, I need to leave behind anxiety, defensiveness and the constant urge to rush around. In order to become the person with that spirit, I want to embrace openness and to live in the moment.

So I leave this with you in case you’d like to do a little soul-searching too. All our voices count.