<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class="">Time to take a breath</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Now is a time of deep relief,</div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>of grief for the brokenness of things—</div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>certainly, no time for gloating </div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>nor for complacency. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">We have work to do, </div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>each of us. </div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>We must ask the question—</div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>always, ask the question—</div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>"What is mine to do?" </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">And the answer, surely,</div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>is to reach out,</div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>beyond our comfort zone, </div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>to find some way, </div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>however small or insignificant seeming, </div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>to connect with someone who seems, </div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>on the face of things, </div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>to be different from ourselves </div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>and to learn, then, </div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>how we are the same. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">And that involves listening to their story.</div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>This is nothing new.</div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>We always have</div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>this job to do.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="ydp44e7a6faApple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> <span style="font-style: normal;" class="">-</span></span><font style="font-style: normal;" class=""> Bill Denham </font></div></body></html>