Actor Martin Sheen turned 80 earlier this week, and I recently came across his inspiring recitation of this 1910 Begali poem by Rabindranath Tagore. I have long admired Martin’s faith convictions along with his acting. You can view his rendition of the poem here.
“Let My Country Awake” – Rabindranath Tagore
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action –
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
British journalist Ed Yong has covered the pandemic extensively in The Atlantic. His lengthy article here provides an extensive overview into the challenges facing the United States. I found his description of how socioeconomics influence one’s experience of the pandemic to be particularly insightful, and I appreciate his recommendations below.
“COVID‑19 is an assault on America’s body, and a referendum on the ideas that animate its culture. Recovery is possible, but it demands radical introspection. America would be wise to help reverse the ruination of the natural world, a process that continues to shunt animal diseases into human bodies. It should strive to prevent sickness instead of profiting from it. It should build a health-care system that prizes resilience over brittle efficiency, and an information system that favors light over heat. It should rebuild its international alliances, its social safety net, and its trust in empiricism. It should address the health inequities that flow from its history. Not least, it should elect leaders with sound judgment, high character, and respect for science, logic, and reason.”
May our faith, hope, and experience anchor our day. And may love inform our thoughts and actions. Blessings to you.
Keeping the Faith 