Narrow
This picture captures the space in which we at the ROC navigate. The narrow space between the society of those who are housed, represented by the strong and stern barbed wire fence on the left, and the society of those who are unhoused, represented by the wild and thorny thicket on the right.
Both sides are intimidating and appear unwelcoming. Both sides are fortifications of fear.
The left side’s fear is strengthened by stereotypes and misinformation, and the right side’s fear is strengthened by broken promises and mistrust. Navigating either side, you are likely to be ensnared and temporarily halted by either the thorns of trauma or the barbs of bitter biases.
We at the ROC look to navigate the narrow path between. Traversing the trail that has become compact through trust and truth and allowing grace to be our guide.
Is it painful to access either side? Yes
Does the purpose outweigh the pain? Yes
We believe that these forts of fear can be dismantled, and the narrow path widened through the dispelling of misinformation with truth, therefore eliminating narrow-mindedness. And through the constant disbursement of grace by our narrow focus on each unhoused individual we get the opportunity to interact with.
You can’t clearly see in this picture, but near the top right corner there are new apartments being built beyond the trees. Those apartments will only be affordable for a narrow group of people. We must widen the way so that all have a wide range of opportunities and a clear path to obtain housing! The fear of that not happening is more frightening than if it does!
“To make this fort assume
The furniture of home;
Lest we should see where we are,
Lost in a haunted wood,
Children afraid of the night
Who have never been happy or good………
All I have is a voice
To undo the folded lie,
The romantic lie in the brain
Of the sensual man -in-the-street
And the lie of Authority
Whose buildings grope the sky:
There is no such thing as the State
And no one exists alone;
Hunger allows no choice
To the citizen or the police:
We must love one another or die.”
-“Another Time” by W. H. Auden, 1940
At the ROC we will use our voices to undo the lies and ensure no one exists alone. We must not remain narrow. We must expand into loving one another or experience the consequences.
Fear Looks Like Selfishness. Bravery Looks Like Selflessness.
#ROCAndRoll
#Narrow
#WidenTheWay
