Detox

As I was talking with my mom a few weeks ago, she mentioned how she felt like she was running in circles, trying to go a billion directions at once, as she attempted to keep on top of one social justice issue after another.

Really, she was right.

Trying to take in everything at once, trying to change every facet of your life to reflect justice, is kind of like finding out that you have a build up of toxins in your body, and then trying to get rid of them by throwing up your internal organs.

Just like ejecting your stomach out your mouth would essentially kill you, “fixing” everything about your life in one go is a good way to essentially kill off any passion for social justice. The problem isn’t that everything that American culture has ever taught you is wrong, the problem is that your system, my system, has been numbed by a slow build up of injustices.

Our consciences have become toxic.

The body is detoxed slowly, by introducing healthy replacements for the toxins and allowing the system to clean itself out slowly and naturally. By slowly, one decision at a time, introducing justice into our consciences, by introducing mercy and compassion, by replacing inaction with simple actions, we can detox consciences that have become toxic with injustice.

Today, do one thing to help your system detox.

Find a physical or email address for someone with whom you haven’t spoken for a while and restart communication.

Social justice means considering the welfare of your neighbor, even in something as simple as sending an email or putting a letter into the mailbox. It won’t take long today, and, in the long run, it is far more pleasant than spewing up your stomach.