Shortly after the threat of
Covid-19 began shutting everything down and life changed as I (we) had known
it, I came across this quote from Emily Dickinson:
“Not knowing when the dawn will come, I open
every door.”
Dickinson sought inspiration for her poetry, I seek to make
sense of a world seemingly turned upside down.
As the weeks passed, I have come back again and again to this
quote. Each time asking myself what is
the door waiting to be opened?
Some of the early doors opened to
the fog of navigating a new reality for work and so many things in life I took
for granted. Other times there was an
invitation to curiosity in exploring possibilities and the time I had on my
hands. There have also been many doors which
have led to deeper connection with my community, family, friends and
co-workers.
In the past
couple of weeks, the door opened to pain, sadness, and a sense of
responsibility to do better in the face of systemic racism. This doorway has led to candid conversations,
to seeking information, to sitting in the discomfort, and the intrapersonal
work to address my own biases and learn how to do better.
As a woman of faith, I trust the
dawn will come. I seek to open the doors
with a listening and humble heart, especially when the dawn seems distant and
the road uncertain. What doors might be waiting
for you?
Sr. Kimberly Porter, OSB
