Sex, Religion, Starbucks, Translation, Eldering

RantWoman has a neighbor who likes to talk about sex

 And religion

 In the lobby of our building

 Among people with whom it would not occur to rantWoman to discuss either sex or religion.

 Sometimes RantWoman deeply esteems this neighbor for this trait.

 

Recently this neighbor asked RantWoman, do you think God answers prayers?

 Yes definitely, but sometimes we do not necessarily like or understand the answers.

 

 And the Lord spake unto RantWoman?

 Um, noooo, but God definitely told RantWoman to go to Starbucks.

 

 

There is a Starbucks on the way from RantWoman’s bus stop to Meeting. Most of the time when thoughts of lattes rise enroute, RantWoman asks God whether the situation is just caffeine addiction and marketing.

 Most of the time God firmly reminds RantWoman that there generally is perfectly fine caffeine at Meeting and besides RantWoman should just contribute her latte budget to helping ensure that there is plenty of milk for others besides herself who like a little coffee with their milk.

 But this week, God definitely told RantWoman that to prepare for Business Meeting she needed to go to Starbucks, to eat a spinach foldover and enjoy a latte.

 RantWoman had already had one conversation about the point she was stuck on. RantWoman was trying to be at ease somewhere between “Trust…” and “Trust but Verify...” RantWoman was NOT succeeding.

 Munching at the spinach foldover, RantWoman to God, “Am I just being an egomaniacal bitch?”

 RantWoman, YOU decide about the egomaniacal bitch issue.

 You do in fact know quite a lot about the topic. You have earned part of your living doing various strands of work related to the topic. You are WAY more likely than other people involved in the process to have personal contact with people receiving the output from the process.

 Yes, and …completely shut out of …otherwise…

 RANTWOMAN, you were true to your Light about concerns (and mutual support!) not uncommon in the work processes of those who shepherd meaning back and forth between languages. You jumped up and down very hard. You WERE listened to. You know you were listened to both because Conflict is a Gift of God Friend bitched MIGHTILY and because another Friend shared data you would not have minded being wrong about.

If you were shut out of one moment, you are NOT RESPONSIBLE if the results of others’ efforts were less than perfect. Plus, just because Conflict is a Gift of God Friend bitched does not mean you should try to evaluate without reading…

Yes, but these particular documents go out in the name of the whole Meeting. Some of the rest of us will likely be called to carry and share work going forward. Besides if we are supporting a ministry well, the minister should not have to translate his own travelling minutes.

RANTWOMAN, you know all those junior staffers you go to meetings with? The ones dealing for the first time in their careers with language access issues in this multicultural city? The ones whose first thought is to Google translate their flyers and whose second thought is MAYBE they can listen to members of various communities particularly when the various communities say “forget all that paper and give us live competent humans.” This situation is definitely not just Google translate in the first place but it’s definitely like junior staffers learning something new. In the second place, can you please somehow for once in your slightly less interpersonal finesse than a Brillo pad life just BE GENTLE with people?

Ummmm…

 

Business Meeting got VERY interesting.

RantWoman was given many words of testimony on target except, peace testimony and all, “on target” might not be the best metaphor.

Discussion meandered toward ministry within our Yearly Meeting. Not so many translation issues for sure.

Somewhere in there, MUCH truth telling occurred. A newcomer reportedly expressed admiration for the honesty.

Progress was made in the realm of steps to move forward efforts where timeliness is an issue.

Language emerged about “always in presence of an elder.” And thanks to RantWoman reading subsequent email, RantWoman now also has the opportunity to promote and test understandings of “always in the presence of an elder” when gadding about in the electronic realms of Quakerdom. Hold that testing in the Light, especially since RantWoman really wants to TRY to let others tend for the moment.***

 

***And yes, dear readers, RantWoman reminds her public that this is blogging as Quaker journal, for better or worse 100% free of recognizable elder presence. Hold that point in the Light.