Community, Drama and Being Human

Last updated on: August 27, 2018 at 4:11 pm by Lisa Wagoner

Community, Drama and Being Human 2018-08-27T16:11:34-04:00 Lisa Wagoner

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

There was recently drama in the Pagan community. What it was about is no matter, as we have gone through an entire eclipse season, a Mercury in Retrograde that has seemingly affected everyone, and a planet full of upheaval. All we can do is observe at this time, right?

Public Domain Image from PxHere.

Having lived a decently long life, I have seen chaos and drama in many communities. I grew up among Europeans who couldn’t hold a calm conversation to save their life. I have seen it time and time again, in different communities, and know that humans are striving to be heard. When someone doesn’t listen or respect what is being said, drama ensues. A simplistic explanation, to be sure. Humans are complex, and in communities, it seems like we rarely get along.

I viewed the latest drama with sorrow, as I know some of the people involved. I don’t have much to add to the conversation, so I kept quiet. What I usually do in these cases is disappear into a movie. They have long been my salvation, and this time was no different.

The movie of choice was Disobedience, with Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, and Alessandro Nivola. It takes place in an Orthodox Jewish community in the UK. Rachel Weisz is the rebel who ran away to New York City, and comes back when she learns of her father’s death. She is an only child, he was a widow, and they were estranged. It’s an engrossing movie, and through it all there was a sense of familiarity. I didn’t grow up in the UK, nor Orthodox, but I know of rebellion and estrangement. It’s always been a comfort for me to be able to see the commonality in people. Having had a vagabond childhood, I’ve had to learn to adapt in more than one kind of community. It’s been a gift to see what is held dear in various communities, but honestly, it’s usually the same: food, love, celebrations, and life events.

This movie was no different, and I was in awe how it could apply to present situations, and to life in general. As humans, we want to be unique, yet we want to belong. We want to be heard, but rarely listen to others. We want to feel important. We want to feel as if we matter. And when we don’t, we lash out, we use hurtful language, we retreat, we hide, we become estranged, we suffer loudly or quietly. Through it all there is a hunger. A hunger for what is lacking.

Many people talk about shadow work, yet I sense most people shy away from it. It’s much easier to cast aspersions rather than do the painful work of truly looking at yourself and your darkness. How much easier it is to lash out at others than examining your own faults? A quip is easier than sitting with grief or anger. We all do it. Why go for difficult when there is an easy way to deflect? Why sit down and take a long look at who you are and why you react that way? In the movie, the rabbi father and his daughter are estranged over differing views on her sexuality. If he had to do it over, would he have spoken with her, or welcomed her back home? If she had another chance to speak with, and be with him, would she? The final shot is haunting: Rachel Weisz, a photographer, takes a photo of her father’s grave. She had lamented earlier that she had never taken a portrait of him. So she was left with that final photograph. And there she said her good-bye to him.

We all feel passionately about what we believe. Each of us is on a unique journey, and we truly don’t know what another person has gone through. Take some time to examine the darkness in yourself before you react. Be at peace with who you are and what you believe in before you sally forth with passionate dialogue. And take a deep breath. We are all human. We want to belong. We want to feel heard. Let that be your mantra. So mote it be.

Previous Post

August 16, 2018

Surviving a Mercury in Retrograde

Next Post

September 2, 2018 September Wistfulness

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What food did God provide for Israel in the wilderness every morning?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Barley Olives Quail Manna