I appreciate this very vulnerable and human story. It does something to our very souls when we recognize we need to be on the receiving end of grace--and allow ourselves to receive it.
And the travel woes sound familiar to me. As a middle-aged woman (like you, with a bunch of fearless adventures in my pocket from my younger years), I also recently had major flight delays and cancellations, also with the airline unable to put us into lodging for the night and everything in town booked up. Most of us, nearly the entire flight--including many much older than me--spent a long, hard, cold night in the airport. The amazing thing was that no one really freaked out. We all just took it in stride somehow, supported one another, and felt like a family when we finally boarded another flight in the morning. Even the flight attendants complimented us, saying how appreciative they were that we hadn't taken our plight out on them. They said we, a group of total strangers, had apparently "trauma bonded" and were helping each other get through a difficult time. We smiled in recognition.
Yes, allowing vulnerability to surface, extending and receiving grace and support, it does something to our souls. Something good.
As an ordinary rural Coloradan who has felt richly companioned by your work, I felt both thrilled and demoralized about the first half of this essay. Thrilled that you were just hours away from where I live; demoralized that I didn’t know and even if I had, I’d never be able to get into the Aspen Institute event to meet you.
And then in the second half of the essay I SO wish I’d known you were stuck at DIA because I have dear friends who live nearby there who would have taken you in — delightedly.
That would have been a different essay. You would not have gotten to remember your vulnerability so powerfully, or met the motherly, marvelous Joquone. But still, if you ever get stuck in Denver again, know you have people here.
It takes love to see people through the distraction of their trappings, be they of gold or dirt. You connected with, moved, and were moved by, both. It sounds like this trip was a valuable use of your resources.
Wow! Reading this I can't help but sense this was supposed to happen and that you were placed there to experience the extreme divide for us to read and think about? Humanity and kindness always trumps material wealth in the end.
I don’t know but something about the tone of this entire story rubs me the wrong way. Accepting the invite, flying in, speaking with and receiving payment from the 1%. Yes they are lonely, but destruction (raping, pillaging fellow beings and the earth) pays dividends.
Dividends Joqoune will never receive but has been and will continue to be on the loosing end of. Yet he risked his job to break the rules and house you for the night. Could you say the same of Couric? Milliband? Would they put their jobs on the line to break the rules of kleptocratic Capitalism? Would they risk loosing their job and therefore their status and housing to do the humane thing and help out a fellow human in need? Their track record and bank accounts say not.
It looks good and sounds good to say you attended The Aspen Institute and went on the BBC. But dance with the devil and you don’t change the devil, the devil changes you. Wanted to highlight the unease I felt reading this essay.
From a woman who has seen into many worlds from marbled halls to foster care/state care and homeless motel poverty.
The mansion always has a basement full of suffering that makes the glittering world of celebrity, name dropping and power players possible, sick and yeah, I am sure they are a lonely bunch. Every mansion has a basement, look there and maybe you won’t be so enamoured with the party.
Huh. I have been in the Joquone class most of my life as a construction worker. I watch many of my friends in the service industry, sometimes in the presence of this upper class of alleged dividends. Dignity and true power usually shines out in the server. Nonsense and a staggering frailty in those weakened by luxury. I think it is the Aspen written narrative that they touch the beauty while below is a suffering. It's the brochure for selling your soul. It's the sick that need a doctor. Fully Alive is a medicine dance. Can't imagine a more lost group of primates. Sometimes you have to get filthy dirty and wade into the worst places. It's embarrassing as fuck, I imagine, to be seen there. The We of this mess at hand kinda demands all manners of border crossings. If the elite took a fancy to examining their ways in light unafraid to speak of sin and redemption I can imagine worse. Odds at Vegas are not good but sometimes even a Centorian can read the room.
Thank you Kate for your comments which are valid and true - yet not surprising - every income level gets blinded of enacting behavior because of the $.
Joqoune's bravery of taking a risk on humanity because of the seemingly cast that the more $ one has. - the more treachery occurs to protect it?
I don't see Elizabeth at the level , only humanly seduced by the influence peddlers. And for me, I'd love to see Elizabeth's message become more widespread.
Argh the Denver airport. A spectacular structure rising out of the prairie and always providing an opportunity to challenge being your best self. That airport is nuts. Before it opened, if I remember correctly, the luggage delivery system was chewing up bags so badly they delayed the opening
Oh my goodness. May we all be mothered. May we all mother. Amen.
I appreciate this very vulnerable and human story. It does something to our very souls when we recognize we need to be on the receiving end of grace--and allow ourselves to receive it.
And the travel woes sound familiar to me. As a middle-aged woman (like you, with a bunch of fearless adventures in my pocket from my younger years), I also recently had major flight delays and cancellations, also with the airline unable to put us into lodging for the night and everything in town booked up. Most of us, nearly the entire flight--including many much older than me--spent a long, hard, cold night in the airport. The amazing thing was that no one really freaked out. We all just took it in stride somehow, supported one another, and felt like a family when we finally boarded another flight in the morning. Even the flight attendants complimented us, saying how appreciative they were that we hadn't taken our plight out on them. They said we, a group of total strangers, had apparently "trauma bonded" and were helping each other get through a difficult time. We smiled in recognition.
Yes, allowing vulnerability to surface, extending and receiving grace and support, it does something to our souls. Something good.
Beautiful
Thank goodness for Joquone, and thank you for this post.
Love this! Love you! Well done, motherly Joquone.
As an ordinary rural Coloradan who has felt richly companioned by your work, I felt both thrilled and demoralized about the first half of this essay. Thrilled that you were just hours away from where I live; demoralized that I didn’t know and even if I had, I’d never be able to get into the Aspen Institute event to meet you.
And then in the second half of the essay I SO wish I’d known you were stuck at DIA because I have dear friends who live nearby there who would have taken you in — delightedly.
That would have been a different essay. You would not have gotten to remember your vulnerability so powerfully, or met the motherly, marvelous Joquone. But still, if you ever get stuck in Denver again, know you have people here.
Gosh thank you
It takes love to see people through the distraction of their trappings, be they of gold or dirt. You connected with, moved, and were moved by, both. It sounds like this trip was a valuable use of your resources.
Tears with this one. Echoes in my heart. Bless you.
this touched my heart, thank you for sharing this story, Elizabeth!
Wow! Reading this I can't help but sense this was supposed to happen and that you were placed there to experience the extreme divide for us to read and think about? Humanity and kindness always trumps material wealth in the end.
I don’t know but something about the tone of this entire story rubs me the wrong way. Accepting the invite, flying in, speaking with and receiving payment from the 1%. Yes they are lonely, but destruction (raping, pillaging fellow beings and the earth) pays dividends.
Dividends Joqoune will never receive but has been and will continue to be on the loosing end of. Yet he risked his job to break the rules and house you for the night. Could you say the same of Couric? Milliband? Would they put their jobs on the line to break the rules of kleptocratic Capitalism? Would they risk loosing their job and therefore their status and housing to do the humane thing and help out a fellow human in need? Their track record and bank accounts say not.
It looks good and sounds good to say you attended The Aspen Institute and went on the BBC. But dance with the devil and you don’t change the devil, the devil changes you. Wanted to highlight the unease I felt reading this essay.
From a woman who has seen into many worlds from marbled halls to foster care/state care and homeless motel poverty.
The mansion always has a basement full of suffering that makes the glittering world of celebrity, name dropping and power players possible, sick and yeah, I am sure they are a lonely bunch. Every mansion has a basement, look there and maybe you won’t be so enamoured with the party.
Huh. I have been in the Joquone class most of my life as a construction worker. I watch many of my friends in the service industry, sometimes in the presence of this upper class of alleged dividends. Dignity and true power usually shines out in the server. Nonsense and a staggering frailty in those weakened by luxury. I think it is the Aspen written narrative that they touch the beauty while below is a suffering. It's the brochure for selling your soul. It's the sick that need a doctor. Fully Alive is a medicine dance. Can't imagine a more lost group of primates. Sometimes you have to get filthy dirty and wade into the worst places. It's embarrassing as fuck, I imagine, to be seen there. The We of this mess at hand kinda demands all manners of border crossings. If the elite took a fancy to examining their ways in light unafraid to speak of sin and redemption I can imagine worse. Odds at Vegas are not good but sometimes even a Centorian can read the room.
Thank you Kate for your comments which are valid and true - yet not surprising - every income level gets blinded of enacting behavior because of the $.
Joqoune's bravery of taking a risk on humanity because of the seemingly cast that the more $ one has. - the more treachery occurs to protect it?
I don't see Elizabeth at the level , only humanly seduced by the influence peddlers. And for me, I'd love to see Elizabeth's message become more widespread.
That is a valid perspective
Argh the Denver airport. A spectacular structure rising out of the prairie and always providing an opportunity to challenge being your best self. That airport is nuts. Before it opened, if I remember correctly, the luggage delivery system was chewing up bags so badly they delayed the opening
(Also, I have slept on the floor of the airport)