Simple and Irreversible Worth
Written by Lead Storyteller Melanee R.
A North Carolina native, Judy grew up singing gospel songs in small-town revival services her father led. I first met her at the piano in the back corner of the sanctuary almost two years ago. She sang a soulful, desperate gospel song while tears rolled down her cheeks.
Life is easy when you’re up on the mountain.
And you’ve got peace of mind like you’ve never known.
But things change when you’re down in the valley.
Don’t lose faith, for you’re never alone.
For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley.
When things go wrong, he’ll make them right.
And the God of the good times is still God in the bad times.
The God of the day is still God in the night.
The emotion in her song that day—the sentience of sadness and words conveying such faith and sureness—brought me and everybody else who heard her to tears.
I had a chance to spend time with Judy recently. This time, she shared about her experience of being unhoused, what strangers say to her, and how they treat her. “I have felt like such a worthless creature,” she said painfully. But when people treat us like that, how do we not begin to believe it?
Our culture's empathy deficiency, among other things, has created this label of social uselessness that’s readily pinned onto others. It has us convinced that we only have worth if we’re successful and contribute something of value to the rest of society—if we have a job, own a home, or contribute to the economy in some other way. We’re only worth seeing if we have something quantifiable to offer.
After listening to Judy, though, I came away more convinced that taking the risk of spending an hour with someone we think is different from us and hearing a piece of their story might be all it takes to upend the entire transactional approach to relationship that our society is addicted to and dependent on.
Perhaps people would treat Judy differently and not label her based on her housing status if they could witness her talent. But that thinking only perpetuates the problem.
Judy’s worthiness isn’t due to the appeal of her musical inclinations, the kindness she unrelentingly shows others or her talent in gardening and flower arrangements. Those are all gifts and qualities.
But Judy’s worth is simply and irreversibly due to her being a human being.
Complete with the agreeable qualities and the not-so-agreeable ones.
Just like you and me.
|