Open to the Spirit
Today’s word: Innocence
Am I wrong to think that most of us look upon our childhoods with some kind of nostalgia for when we thought the world was full of only good things?
state of unknowing that looks out at go forth from the garden, act on what you from the soul of a child, or the eyes we know and take up the work of reof a wild deer - a state of pure being. pairing the world.
But in order to inhabit the world as it
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really is, I believe innocence is a luxury ) Am I wrong to think that most ) Everyone has a place where adulthood can hardly afford. of us look upon our childhoods they go to recharge and reflect, a with some kind of nostalgia for
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place where it is easier to put aside ) In the Genesis allegory of the when we thought the world was full the challenges and ups and downs of Garden of Eden, humankind beof only good things? We thought the life and take a few much needed deep fore the “Fall” enjoys a blissful best of people and mostly they could be breaths. For me, this place has always state of unknowing. Like an ideal childtrusted. Some of us lost our childhood been in nature. A meandering hiking hood, all is provided and all experience innocence early on but most will have trail or a walk in the park, it is the simis in the here and how. Innocence is memories of more innocent times, beplicity of the experience that holds its what naturally reaches for the apples fore life hurt us and we in turn hurt power for me. Surrounded by the trees, on that tree of Knowledge at the cenothers. Do we not all feel our heart fresh air and sun there is far less to worter of everything. And we all know the strings pulled at the trust in the eyes ry about, even if I have plenty on my story, having experienced it over and of a child who asks us for help? Jesus mind. Everything becomes more clear. over again in our own lives. Knowledge famously told his followers that the Those challenging issues that have takis the tree that once tasting of it, we child’s way was the only way to create en over my mind become smaller, big and the world we inhabit are utterly an equitable and peaceful world. He questions begin to make more sense changed. As soon as you begin to ask called it God’s kingdom. As the years and small worries simply float away. questions - not just who planted that go by and hardships and sorrows accuIn fact it has almost become an uncontree, but for whom are those apples for mulate, it becomes one of the hardest scious reaction to head out to the park if not us, why should we not take whatspiritual disciplines to trust, as a child if there is too much going on in my life. ever we see - innocence is lost. Not only trusts and to put our actions where
When I think about why these placis there no going back, but as the story our hopes lie. When others expect our es hold such power for me, I know it is goes, from that moment of knowing, best, we often rise to meet those expecnot just because they help me relax. there is a lot of work to do. tations. Nurturing the best in others On a deeper level, nature encompassWe may wish to return to the blisstends to bring it out. We may not have es a world where I am not in control, ful state of unknowing. Before we knew the innocence we had as children but where surprises and learning appear about the Holocaust, or the mass genotrusting in the goodness of life will at every corner. I have no choice but to cides of the previous century, the syssurely draw it forth and set the stage pay attention, and for the time being, tematic extermination of indigenous for an evolving humanity whose focus become primarily an observer. In a very peoples in the settling of the very lands is on collaboration and emancipation real way, I am brought back to a place we now occupy. Before we knew the for all human beings. of innocence and acceptance. Looking family secrets of addiction, abuse and around at the beautiful randomness dysfunctional relationships. The skeleof a forest, or even an urban park, retons in the closets belong to us all in minds me that there is strength in myssome way or other, and we cannot untery and a calm power in what exists know what we know. Denial is always beyond my own life. a choice; we may pretend innocence,
I don’t need to have the business of we may turn away in disbelief. But that my world to understand why I am here. choice does not protect us from, and
It is what is left after all of the noise may only serve to perpetuate, the evil that is where the real lessons are. The we wish to disown. Instead, as the Geninnocence, the simplicity and the quiesis story tells us, in the world that is, et strength. As it says in Second Kings: there is a lot of work to do
“And after the earthquake a fire, but the Can any of us claim innocence?
Lord was not in the fire; and after the Only perhaps from what we still do not fire, a still small voice”. This still voice know. I believe that humanity is comis what I am looking for now more than ing of age now. Rather than longing to ever. It’s tempting to glorify innocence return to a state of bliss that depends as a state of unadulterated grace. That upon not knowing, our only hope it to
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) I grew up watching shows like Perry Mason, and Murder she Wrote. One common idea was “Innocent until proven guilty”. Police in those shows were somewhat restrained, needing evidence before any arrest was made. Even at that point the police would read the Miranda rights,... You have the right to remain silent, anything you do or say may be used as evidence, you have the right to an attorney lawyer... etc. It all seemed very rational and somewhat safe. How then, years later, have we reached the point when almost every few weeks we read about an innocent person being killed by the police for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time? I guess television did not portray real life. I learned that for myself a few years later.
In my student internship in Toronto’s Cabbagetown district my supervisor sat on a committee entitled “Race Relations and Police Liaison Committee”. During the summer months I attended with him. I remember one incident clearly. A Jamaican immigrant who worked for a local enterprise that promoted Caribbean products was arrested one morning. He was riding a brand new bicycle, and was taking a bag with the daily profits to deposit at the bank. His illegal arrest prompted much discussion about racial profiling. It also made me aware of how racism is real in our world. This was in 1978. How can things not have improved by now, and in some cases even gotten worse. What happened to “Innocent until proven guilty”.
Martin Luther King once said: “There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.” “I have decided to stick with love.” Perhaps if that could be taught to everyone there might be less violent arrests. I find it ironic that some religious people defend the current system. Jesus was innocent when he was crucified. He also defended a woman caught in adultery by saying “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.
That’s our column, 4 very different voices this week. Now it is your turn. What does “innocence” mean to you?
Rev. Mead Baldwin pastors the Waterville & North Hatley pastoral charge; Rabbi Boris Dolin leads the Dorshei-emet community in Montreal; Rev. Lee Ann Hogle ministers to the Ayer’s Cliff, Magog & Georgeville United Churches; Rev. Carole Martignacco, Unitarian Universalist is retired from ministry with Uuestrie and now resides in St. Andrews bythe-sea NB, but keeps one foot in the Townships by continuing with this column.