Lately I have felt …lazy. I see the world’s pain and I see the great works of others. I am inspired by Beverly Naidus’s book Arts for Change, and by the websites featuring community art projects, and I think, Why not me? Why am I not doing interesting and effective work to help empower people and broaden their understanding? Am I lazy? I have only a vague yearning to do SOMETHING—but what? And where is the energy to do it–what ever IT is?
I open my booik of poems by Hafiz, and Hafiz says to me
You could become a great horseman

Fierce Blessing by Melanie Wiedner
And help to free yourself and this world,
Though only if you and Prayer become
Sweet Lovers.
It is a naive man who thinks we are not engaged in a firece battle, For I see brave foot soldiers
all around me going mad, falling to the ground in excruciating pain
You could become a victorious horseman And carry your heart through this world Like a Life Giving Sun
Though only if you and God
Become
Lovers.
So I walked to the beach for my morning prayer
and I remembered:
I am doing projects with children such as our monsters on silk, which became a banner and a book of their stories, and the focus of discussion about fear and transforming fear.
I am visting classrooms of children as illustrator of the book Royal Spy, taking children back to a world before cell phones, microwaves, refrigerators, televisions.
In my own small way, I AM doing community art for change–and loving it!