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Written and Illustrate’tTby Our Readers
S lackpole is always a great way to celebrate
the passionate and talented writers, photog
raphers, artists and poets in the community,
while also giving our staff a chance to take a week
off each year to enjoy the holidays and recharge.
Thank you to all our Flagpole readers for your sub
missions and help in creating this annual issue.
We’ll be back with the first Flagpole of the new year
on Jan. 12.
Smart, Fearless and Strong
By Catherine L.
Early in 2020 I wrote a piece that appeared in Flagpole
entitled “Fear, Guilt and Confusion.” It was in response to
a request for work representing our feelings and experi
ences as we all began navigating the new world we found
ourselves in due to a virus we didn’t know much about at
the time, but have now felt with something akin to an emo
tional and physical tsunami.
The piece involved emotions vacillating between trep
idation and hope, willingness and preparedness. Secretly
fearing the worst, but always hoping for the best. Trying to
read as much as we could from reliable sources in order to
gain the knowledge necessary to fight the virus which was
turning against us, and ultimately turning us against each
other. What do you believe? Who do you believe?
There wasn’t much we could do for a long time except
protect ourselves. We covered up. We stayed away. It helped
a lot of us; unfortunately, not all of us. We lost a lot of peo
ple. A lot. Too, too many. Some died no matter what they
did, and some died because they did nothing. Some died
because others did nothing. Fighting each other didn’t help.
Not one bit. “It” didn’t care what your political views were.
What helped, got us through, was perseverance: Those
who wore (and are still
wearing) face coverings to
protect themselves from
getting sick, and just as
importantly, preventing
getting others sick. Those
who got vaccinated because
it was the right thing to
do for all concerned, not
just themselves. Those who
helped, risking their own
lives, treating anyone who
got sick. Who administered
medicines, treatments,
held hands and mourned
when the time came like
they’d lost one of their
own. “It” didn’t care what
you looked like.
Maybe if we closed
our eyes and thought of the person we live next door to,
work alongside of, stand behind in line at a store as one of
our own, maybe it would open our eyes so we can see that
what’s good for us is also good for them. The greater good
gives us all strength, makes a stronger world in which to
fight pandemics, natural disasters, hatred and sorrow.
No one can say what the future will bring, but if there
is no other lesson learned from these recent trying times,
surely it’s true that united we’ll stand, and divided we’ll fall.
Rate Yourself in Regard
to Your Humanity
By Kathryn Kyker
Walking into the farmer’s market, I saw a tent with post
ers asking for volunteers to “complete a survey and get a
book.” I figured it was some kind of college student project.
Curious, I dawdled a moment too long. A man stepped out
of the shade, caught my eye as he walked towards me. Then
I saw the other poster: “Spiritual Survey.” I was not looking
for a spiritual encounter.
The man was confident but courteous. He explained that
this was a spiritual survey and part of a global project to
better understand the spiritual beliefs of people all over the
world.
He had a list of questions, including about my faith
background and belief in an afterlife. I played my “Get-Out-
Of-Spiritual-Awkwardness-Free” card and told him I’m an
agnostic. He asked for details.
Later, we came to this question: “Rate yourself (in regard
to your humanity) on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being perfect.”
I have never rated myself as a human before, but imme
diately assigned myself a seven. I wondered if that was a
typical response, or the reflex of a poser seven. I bet most
of us believe we are better than average, which isn’t statisti
cally possible.
I defend my better-than-average rating based on my
choice to be a social worker. Although I have spent my life
in jobs that are expressly about helping others, “I have not
done so with a pure heart,” goes a phrase in the Confession
of Sins, part of my “faith background.” I was paid to help
people.
“I have not loved my neighbor as myself,” continues the
confession. I flick off my helper mode as though it’s a cabbie
light—when I clock out each day that light goes off. You
want my help? Wait ‘til my light is back on.
Though I manage mostly to be a helpful, friendly sort of
person, I don’t go much out of my way for a stranger. Still, I
rated myself as a seven.
We moved on to the next question: “If you were at the
gates of heaven, what would you say to try to get in?”
My reply, “I wasn’t perfect, but I did try, and I did care.”
With all respect to the paving crew on the road to hell, I
still believe that efforts and intentions count for something
as long as they’re sincere and not limited to couch potato
philosophizing.
Yet I feel guilty. I know I am not all I could be in regard
to my humanity. I wonder if the surveyors expected these
answers to inspire guilt to motivate church attendance? But
my guilt isn’t limited to mankind—it extends to the entire
Earth. Where’s the church for that? Where’s the absolution
for “what we have done and for what we have left undone”?
When this happened, I was still a social worker. I won
dered if once I retired I would feel a stronger compulsion
to help people—when I’m no longer paid to care, will I care
more?
One year into retirement, the jury’s still out. I catch
myself doing small things in secret, as if I’m that off-duty
cabbie picking up hitchhikers in her own car: Is that being a
good human or is it just a habit?
The survey ended, and the man told me that I gave
exceptional answers and was generous with my time. He
told me about their church and invited me to attend.
He did not offer a book, and I did not ask... what would a
real seven do?
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority Works to
Keep It Green
By Iota Psi Omega Chapter
Taking care of our planet and seeing the beauty that it pos
sesses is not often something most people consider. There
are many organizations like
The Nature Conservancy
that have programs and
goals to plant billions of
trees, yet there are few
organizations that focus on
outdoor enhancement and
beautification. The Iota Psi
Omega Chapter of Alpha
Kappa Alpha Sorority,
Inc. (AKA) endeavored to
tackle both issues. There
is a major forest resto
ration effort with the goal
of planting a billion trees
across the planet. Trees
provide so many benefits
to our everyday lives: They
filter clean air, provide
fresh drinking water, help
curb climate change and create homes for thousands of spe
cies of plants and animals. Planting trees can help save the
Earth from deforestation.
With the pandemic encouraging more outdoor activities
alongside the national childhood obesity platform outlined
by former First Lady Michelle Obama, it is crucial that we
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DECEMBER 29, 2021 & JANUARY 5, 2022 | FLAGPOLE.COM 13