Forum, March 2025

Discovering nature again

“The Delight of Being Alive” is one of the most beautiful and insightful reflections I’ve read in a very long time (by Gail Melix/Greenwater, FJ Feb.). Thank you for sharing your wisdom and that of your ancestors. It resonated with me.

Kim Moore
Cape May, N.J.

This article spoke to my heart. Years ago I heard a minister talk about a God of society and a God of Nature. The idea of a “God of Nature” resonated with me. The minister spoke of the Native Americans having a God of Nature. This helps define the “Light” for me as a Quaker. Thanks for the article, Gail.

Barry Simon
Middleborough, Mass.

Thank you. I read this as ministry, coming when I needed to receive it.

Harvey Gillman
Rye, UK

I enjoyed this story of discovering nature again and the overturning of injustice from the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. I have special feelings for Indigenous members of tribes.

I am also a Quaker from Durango (Colo.) Meeting. I found peace of mind in nature and my love for animals. I’m not an Indigenous person, but as a young child, the outdoors was where I was the happiest. I learned over the years, in talking with the elders and working with members of various tribes, their honor of the land and nature has been embraced in my thoughts. Your writing about “what we love we protect” is so on target, but unfortunately, many are going too fast to realize what they missed.

I worked for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Affairs in Native American Programs for 20 years in Phoenix, Ariz. I was the Southwest coordinator for resident initiatives, region 9. Before that, I was the executive director of housing at Ute Mountain Ute Housing in Towaoc, Colo.

ET Dahl
Ocala, Fla.

Thank you so much for this beautiful reflection. It resonates deeply with me, especially now in this difficult time.

Pat Johnson
Candler, N.C.

Thank you so much for this article. It spoke to my condition.

Lauri Perman
Saint Paul, Minn.

Thank you for this beautiful account and invitation to follow your example to connect more intimately with nature.

Marcelle Martin
Chester, Pa.

The other side of the chasm

Is it right to regard anything as outside our sphere of action (“On the Use of Despair” by Amanda Franklin, FJ Feb.)? Prayer connects us with an omnipotent God, and Christ said, “You do not receive, only because you do not ask.” There is a time for waiting in stillness, but also, when moved by the Spirit, a place for vocal prayer, which has been a part of Quaker ministry from the beginning.

Clive Gordon
Sutton Coldfield, UK

I am also a psychotherapist. In the last month, a day has not gone by that I don’t hear from clients who are scared, angry, and despairing. LGBT folks, people reliant on Medicare or Medicaid, women who fear we are taking a major step backward, and the list goes on. I catch myself trying to alleviate their pain, but this article helps me see that sometimes I just have to be in that darkness with them. It is surely not an easy thing to do, but Franklin makes the point well, that it is the faithful thing to do. It is compelling for me that sometimes my clients google me and discover that I’m Quaker and have theological training. Now more than ever, they come with questions about faith in the midst of their despair, and this article has helped me formulate a way to approach those questions and those people. I am thankful for Amanda Franklin’s words.

Geoffrey Knowlton
Hyannis, Mass.

Listening to understand other views prevents unpleasant surprises, moves us beyond divisive and exclusionary politics, and refocuses us on core ideals of God’s infinite equal love and forgiveness for all, so we build our lives on solid bedrock.

We changed our Constitution many times before to include more people in our governments, and we can do it again, so women, minorities, disabled, dependent, Indigenous, etc., can all be better represented after every election at the executive decision table with a seat, voice, and vote. The Swiss have already proved this executive power model is viable. Are we willing to share power with our neighbors?

George Gore
Chicago area, Ill.

Building relationships across politics

Thank you for “Rhapsody in Purple” by Kat Griffith (FJ Feb.). Her experience chimes with some of mine, as I canvassed here in the United Kingdom as part of Greenpeace’s Climate Vote initiative. We were (carefully) not promoting a particular party or candidate. Once people realised this and that we weren’t asking for money, almost all who had time were keen to talk. Many had clearly not been listened to on the subject before, and most didn’t think they could do anything about it. But we explained that if they could vote, they could look at the party manifestos and their candidates and see which of their policies might address their concerns. Greenpeace could send them a briefing about this when the manifestos came out.

It was really heartwarming to see people make connections between their own actions, politics, and things (places, people, creatures) that they were really concerned about. Even the Seventh-day Adventist who was looking forward to the end of the world was grateful for the conversation!

Not only is this kind of activity helping build community but it also helps give people confidence in their own judgment, which is being rapidly undermined by social media, accelerated by AI.

Linda Murgatroyd
London, UK

Wow, Kat, you are truly an inspiration and a peacemaker!

Joe Mayer
Burnsville, Minn.

Online: Kat Griffith discusses her article in a video interview at Friendsjournal.org/kat-griffith.

Meetings using money

Yet another use for our money came to me as I was reading your insightful stories on how meetings use money in the January issue of Friends Journal. In a word: outreach. We want to spread Quaker principles and practices to more people.

Here are some ways that come immediately to mind: post directional signs on the major streets nearby; adopt a street in your community, which usually entitles you to a sign posted on that street saying something like this to passing motorists; make sure the sign in front of your meetinghouse is conspicuous; design and print bookmarks, which you can distribute through your public library; host public events that draw others to your meetinghouse.

Tom Louderback
Louisville, Ky. 

Starting conversations

David Brooks’s advice is very similar to the way great salespeople I have known build relationships with customers (Review of How to Know a Person by David Brooks, reviewed by Kathleen Jenkins, FJ Jan.). It takes real effort and commitment. I suspect that’s why most of us don’t start conversations with strangers. The other reason is fear that the stranger will turn the conversation around to us. Here is a simple technique we use every day to keep the conversation about the stranger. It’s called the reverse: answer the question with a question of your own. Ever have this conversation with the checkout clerk at the grocery store? They ask, “How are you today?” And you answer, “Fine, thank you. How about you?” See, I bet you have done that many times in your life.

Don Crawford
Monteverde, Costa Rica

Breaking out of old roles

In the 1980s I worked in Philadelphia at a small agency whose role was to intervene in large-scale interracial and cultural disputes (“Lessons from My Quaker Ancestors and the People They Enslaved” by Os Cresson, FJ Feb.). I was sent one day to the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Although I was a White person born and raised in diverse places, I had never experienced anything like rural Maryland. It appeared that either you lived in a wood shanty or an enormous new luxury home, depending on your racial identity. As part of my work, I met people in their houses of worship and schools. The disparities were shocking, and the sense of never being able to escape social conditions and old patterns was still so strong. The people I met while working there were mostly very hospitable, even inviting me to their Wednesday evening AME church with them (I went). When I went home after a few days, I had the sense that we all had just played old, old roles once more.

Anonymous
Philadelphia area, Pa.

Thanks for this beautiful and eye opening testimony to native awareness of that natural wellness of spirituality within us all!

Eve
Delaware County, Pa.