I Wish

Over the last few days, I’ve found myself wanting to change many things. That urge overtakes me every time there’s political violence. When I was a kid and felt the sting of sudden horrific losses, I didn’t have the words to express myself. But I did long for things to be different.  

So this week, after yet another terrifying attack, I’m sharing my “wish” list. It’s not a fantasy wish list; it’s my list of wishes that I think are possible. It represents the things I’m willing to work to change in myself and in the world.  

I encourage you to make your own wish list. My only advice in making your list is to try to make it free of contempt for others. Contempt makes an enemy for your wishes. Every wish that breathes dignity into our relationships and into our country makes change more possible.  

I wish Cole Tomas Allen wasn’t consumed by rage.

I wish people who believe rage is a healthy response to conflict (including me sometimes) would question that belief.

I wish our children weren’t exposed to headlines of assassination attempts and pictures of people in hotels with guns drawn. 

I wish my cousins Bobby and Kerry who were at the hotel where gunshots were fired on Saturday night would feel safe and loved.

I wish all political leaders would resist the urge to dehumanize others as Minnesota State Senator Hoffman, who himself was shot 9 times, pleaded last week. 

I wish we could help our children feel safe and seen and do everything in our power to nurture their hunger to be treated with dignity so that they feel hopeful about the future.

I wish schools would be places where children and adults feel safe to express themselves and to learn and grow, knowing that their dignity will not be violated.

I wish we could have discussions about issues that motivate us without dehumanizing people who differ from us.

I wish we could practice our many diverse faiths with a common commitment to the great commandments to love and bring justice to all of God’s creation.

I wish we weren’t so afraid.

I wish we could ease our fears by trusting in the source and sustaining force of life, knowing we will never be abandoned.

I wish everyone would be able to go to a ballgame with children and grandchildren as Linda and I were able to do last weekend.

I wish Special Olympics athletes like our friend Maurine Yap would be seen as the brave and courageous peacemakers they are. 

I wish everyone would read Kate Bowler’s book, Joyful Anyways, and discover that joy exists even in great pain and sadness.

I wish I could remember the beauty of the words of the Persian poet, Hafiz, (who was born in today’s Iran) that were shared with me recently by my friend Killian Noe.

The Sacred Dance For Life

By Hafiz

I sometimes forget that

I was created for joy

My mind is too busy

My heart is too heavy

Heavy for me to remember

that I have been

called to dance

the sacred dance for life

I was created to smile

to love

to be lifted up

and lift others up

O sacred one

Untangle my feet

from all that ensnares

Free my soul

That we might

Dance

and that our dancing

might be contagious.

That’s what I wish: that dignity and dancing would be more contagious than rage and violence.  

Is that too much to wish?  

And for what do you wish?

-Tim Shriver

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Watch Tim Shriver discuss contempt in this clip from Deseret News.

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Dignity in Action

Tami and Preston returned to Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City, presenting the Dignity Index as part of their Trusted and Effective Leaders initiative. This leadership development program is designed to support local public health leaders across the state. We love this ongoing partnership!

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