10-12-08

As I write this, the world markets are in a financial meltdown, and I’ve been thinking of how to go through this cycle. Albert Schweitzer give us good advice with these words –

“To the question whether I’m a pessimist or an optimist, I answer that my knowledge is pessimistic, but my willing and hope are optimistic.”

This reminds us that we need a little pessimism (healthy skepticism) to give us caution and to deal realistically with “what is”, and, at the same time, we also need optimism to hope and dream and build a better future (idealism). Learning to enjoy the rhythms of this dance is to grow and transform.

In coming to prison, I lost all material goods, my reputation, my freedom, and my dreams, so I’m certainly aware of the cycles of life. What I’ve learned from this is that ultimately, after we’ve experienced enough of the highs and lows, the laughter and the tears, we develop a capacity to embrace the whole with its beauty and outrageousness, in the graciousness of the heart.

May we remember that loss comes to all of us. It does not discriminate by age, culture, socioeconomic status, religious affiliation, spiritual maturity, or global location. We have a choice in how loss affects us and how we grieve. We can opt to turn away or we can choose to expect and accept loss as a way of life, to see it as a source of heart opening grace and growth. By so choosing, we can embrace loss in a lifelong healing journey toward wholeness.

The only adequate response when confronting uncertainty is to love as fully as we can in the little time we have. Life and loved ones, after all, are all the more precious because we can’t hold on to them forever.

On this early Sunday morning as I sit here writing this, I ask myself, “What right do I have to be here this morning?” None. No right at all. Yet here I am. All the more reason to not take for granted my mysterious life on this mysterious planet.

The birds are starting to sing outside my window: always on time; always on key; always jubilant. At least that’s how they sound to me. And what about the thousand shades of orange and yellow in this morning’s sunrise? This world would be hard to believe if you’d never seen it.
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Tom Brown Speaks From Prison

I’ve been thinking of how I can contribute to others when I am released in a couple of years, I’ll be old, broke, and homeless myself, (and that’s a little scary). But I know that somehow, it will work out. And because of this, I will be able to help others who are facing the same things. This experience gives me a depth of understanding and compassion that I could not have otherwise. From a God’s eye view, there’s not a bit of difference between the most highly accomplished human being and the most broken.

Working with people who are hungry and need to be fed, who are thirsty and need something to drink, who are in prison and need visitors; Or who are naked and need to be clothed – Opens up all kinds of things in our lives.

Until our hearts are broken, we’re less than complete human beings. If we are not able to recognize others’ pain, we are cut off from ourselves.

We all have the capacity to love and care, but it has to develop, and that involves pain. The payoff is our connectedness. There is the painful gouging out of the stone of our hearts, which can then be filled with kindness.

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Editor's note:

The holidays are upon us, and prison is a lonely place. We asked Tom what books he would like as gifts from us, and he said that what he would really appreciate are money orders so that he can purchase paper, stamps, and pens. He said the cost of items in prison has gone up, and their stipend has gone down. So, if some of you have been long time readers of this blog for Tom and would like to send a note of appreciation, he'd love to hear from you - and if you can send a money order in any amount, he'd deeply appreciate that, too.

Money order should be made out to Charles "Tom" Brown, #140237

His address is: Charles "Tom" Brown, #140237, ASPC - Florence - East Unit, P.O. Box 5000, Florence, AZ 85232