Sisyphus, purpose and imposing hope. . .

Recently, a kind friend sent this note.  I felt like it might be helpful to you:

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Don't know if you are familiar with Jerome Shestack, a human rights activist and attorney, but I ran across this passage in a long article of his and thought of you and CitySquare.

...Sisyphus may turn out to be a more enduring hero than Hercules. For if, as Camus taught, life itself is absurd, then Sisyphus represents the only triumph possible over that absurdity. In his constancy to reach the summit, even with failure preordained, Sisyphus demonstrated that the human spirit is indomitable and that dedication to a higher goal is in itself man's reason for living. So, like Sisyphus, the non-governmental organizations do what they must. The realities of the world may foredoom a great part of the struggle to failure and make most of the effort seem absurd. Yet, the very struggle itself takes on a symbolic meaning, enhancing human dignity. And when all is said and done, there is no other humane course to pursue.

At least from my point of view your work embodies this hope and spirit.

 Best,

David

On Through

Clearly, life deals people some pretty tough hands.

Sometimes the best thing to do in some situations is to just change course. You know, turn around. Go a different direction. Take an alternative route.

Often that approach, though desirable, is not possible.

People find themselves trapped, surrounded by enemies and obstacles and, well, nothing with which to work on a solution.

Over the past 15 years, I've seen this reality what seems like a million times. Poverty creates such dilemmas and then imposes them on good people.

Solutions?

Often very, very hard to discover.

But I've noticed in my schooling from and among "the poor" that those who make it just simply keep battling, trying, struggling until they break "on through."

Faith is always a part of that movement through. And, so is community. No one makes it "on through" without help and engagement with others.

As I've been saying for a long time, poor folks have a lot to teach us.

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Perseverance

"My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging."

Hank Aaron