Do not turn away from suffering ...

Back in October I posted the words, "History is not an army. It's more like a crab scuttling sideways. And we need to be brave enough to hope change is possible in order to have a chance of making it happen." And I think of them again today and the reason is this ...

This photograph is of a female protester being attacked by Egyptian soldiers in Tahrir Square, Cairo over the weekend. It's brutal. It's shocking. It's inhumane. For me it brings up strong emotions and raises so many questions that I have no answers for ... most importantly it needs to be seen and witnessed. I want to look away, to make it stop, but that would be to turn away from the suffering and I can't do that. The suffering of the oppressed is everywhere to see in the world right now. As I enter Christmas week and I'm reminded this is the time of year to offer goodwill to all, I ask how can I offer goodwill to the soldiers in this picture? And I return to the words above and the message from Rebecca Solnit ... it is still braver to hope for a better world and be part of the changes towards that, than to descend into despair and cynicism. Change is possible and for the woman in this picture I can only assume she put her life on the line for that change, for that freedom and for that love. Inshallah I pray she is still alive and being cared for as I write these words. And I send my hope to the hearts of all those in Egypt as they make their transition. May it be as peaceful as possible.