A reflection, a report, a request

Dear friends,

Some of you have received this letter and report from us in the mail. Whether in hard copy or via this email, we hope you will take a moment at this time of generosity and reflection to read some end-of-year thoughts from us. We continue to be inspired by your participation in and support of Still Harbor. If you are moved by the progress we have made this year, we ask that you please consider making a financial contribution to our work as we strive to launch our 2012 programming with a strong and growing sense of energy and renewal.

With our warmest regards,
Ed, Perry, and the Still Harbor team

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A reflection, a report, and a request

“It is a long baptism into the seas of humankind, my daughter. Better immersion and in pain than to live untouched. Yet how will you sustain?” -- excerpt from, “O Yes,” a short story by Tillie Olsen.

These are the thoughts of a mother as she reflects on her white daughter’s status-quo breaking friendship with a girl who is black in the United States of the 1950s. In these words, there is a profound recognition that the very relationship that will bring her daughter connection and awakening will also bring her suffering.

Whether living in the midst of the Civil Rights movement or taking part in today’s increasingly global movement for justice and equity, the feeling of being submerged in a world where one is witness to gross human inequities is quite real.

Just as many seek professional and intellectual frameworks of justice, equity, or humanity to help them act in the face of such injustice, many also look for a spirituality that grounds them with purpose, presence, and hope.

And while the word spirituality may feel private or be a trigger for some, we have found that participants in Still Harbor programs have responded positively to our approach regardless of their comfort level with spiritual concepts when they meet us.

Through our workshops and curricula, we have been able to create the space and provide the guidance for people to individually and collectively look inward at who they are, what they care about, and how they want to apply that sense of identity and purpose in the world.

We encourage you to read our progress report, in which you’ll find a more detailed overview of these programs and their impact with our partners and participants. We thank you for supporting our growth in countless ways.

You are among the visionaries who instinctively understand the value of applying contemplative—or spiritual—practice to work that serves humanity.

We hope that you will continue to show your support now by making a contribution that will help us launch 2012 with as much energy as we are wrapping up 2011. Make your donation online or by mail today.

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