She Shows Us the Way

I'm grieving with the rest of Minnesota today

Friends, if you're not in Minnesota, know that the air here is still very heavy today. Because Speaker Melissa Hortman and Senator John Hoffman were the kinds of lawmakers who lived in community — in community.

That's not just a nice catchphrase; it's a way of life.

There are many many people here grieving Hortman (and her husband) right now... and also praying for Hoffman (and his wife) to recover and heal well.

Because these politicians weren't just far-off figures at the state capitol. And they didn't promote or pass laws that caused people to suffer.

In fact, quite the opposite — on both counts.

Ben Hovland | MPR News

These are lawmakers whose consistent MO and reputation was to care about people, to collaborate with people, to help make life actually better for people — most especially our neighbors who have been systematically marginalized throughout history.

And isn't this approach what our American democracy is ultimately, ideally supposed to be about?

Speaker Hortman, in particular, lived democracy, seeking its highest ideals, and thus she will be forever loved and missed by the people of this state, with whom she co-created a government "of, by, and for the people."

Not every politician can say that.

Many can't.

And that's my ultimate point here, I guess: what kind of legacy are we leaving behind, from these human lives of ours?

None of us — none of us — know when our lives will end.

They could easily end in any moment.

Our lives are fragile — SO very fragile, in fact, that most of us don't really want to think about it too much.

I get it.

But do you know what I believe might make thinking about the fragility of our human lives less scary?

To live like Melissa. Boldly. In truth. With humor. With humility. Working for justice. Leading with inclusion at the forefront. Caring — caring as much as possible. Living in community — being in solidarity with our fellow community members, and not stopping the work to improve our communities until every single person has their needs met and is no longer suffering.

To end a life not having done those things?

I don't even want to think about it.

Thank you, Speaker Melissa Hortman, for the beautiful, public artistry of your life — for your colorful brush strokes, illustrating for us all a way to live, and be, that means the people we leave behind, when we're gone, will know our life left this so much world better than we found it.

💗