JOYFUL PIECE #81

From dignity to joy

The Storm, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. [1]

The upcoming Presidential Inaugural has been of deep concern to me. A couple of days ago, I was fortunate to stumble on the concept of Human Dignity as revealed in a two-part series, Letter From Love About Dignity The path I took via that link led me to some insightful posts that helped me understand a little better what I feel these days.

Human Dignity is a core attribute ascribed to all human beings, in their virtuousness as well as in their depravity. It is the odious depravity that I sense in the agenda of the incoming regime that I find most upsetting. The right of self-expression granted by the U. S. Constitution is central to human dignity. That right is being threatened by the repressive agenda inherent in Project 2025. That agenda is being promoted by the intolerant ultraconservatives in the GOP. Lamentably, that agenda is being tacitly endorsed by institutional churches and those who perverted the principles of Abraham Lincoln’s party.

So, as a human being, it is probably normal that my feelings of revulsion over the impending Inaugural be so strong. And if my feelings run so strong, does that not confirm my commitment to the values of peace, justice, love, compassion, diversity, equity, and inclusion in America?

In a roundabout way, the struggle I described rekindled my flame of joy. It is appropriate to be upset about affronts to human dignity. It is just and supportive of Human Dignity to reject the obtuse principles of the incoming regime. Having reaffirmed my basic values, I have uncovered joy once again.

We must hold a sense of proportion and not allow megaphones and incendiary visual effects to obscure the warm, glowing embers of the joy that we carry.

What do you think?

Kindle your joy.

20250112

[1] This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer.