The beginning of the secular calendar reflects a time for renewal and a fresh start in life. Perhaps we make resolutions. As Pagans, Heathens, and Polytheists, we celebrate a number of traditions during the winter months in the northern hemisphere when weather is not so hospitable. In order to liberate ourselves from the past, we have a responsibility to bear witness to what goes on in the world, in our society, and within ourselves.
Turmoil appears frequently in our lives. Whether it appears in the form of war, political disruption, or an internal battle with individual goals such as getting in shape, connecting with others, or quitting a bad habit, the need to resolve the turmoil begins with the active action of acknowledging the reality that appears before us.
During the past three years, the issue of responsibility for ourselves and others has been dimmed in part by the harsh reality of a pandemic. Disruption allowed distraction from previously accepted norms as the world and each of us as individuals had to reconfigure exactly what matters in societal interactions.
Each of us bears witness to our own life events and those of others. Our various traditions emphasize alignment between our ethics and our actions. During the ongoing invasion and conflict in Ukraine, the host of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert previewed a question he would ask that evening’s guest, the journalist Anderson Cooper regarding the responsibility of being a witness to war:
Journalists are expected to be the eyes and ears to disseminate information for those who are not present and those who could never be present in the situation.While war is one example, each of us bears witness to ongoing struggles during the COVID pandemic, during economic recessions, and during societal disruption. History can only be truly remembered if someone takes the time to record and to share information about events, be they large or small.
Our societal turmoil includes bearing witness to a variety of eruptions during the recent past such as the reversal of Roe vs. Wade, the questioning of the value of DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policies in the educational and state administrative systems, higher inflation with the increased likelihood of economic recession in the United States and other parts of the world, and political turmoil on the second anniversary of the January 6, 2021 insurrection.
For those who spent over four long grueling days watching lawmakers attempt what should have been a simple vote only to run into repeated stalemates due to 20 individuals, it might seem that our American democracy still has a ways to go in terms of regaining an understanding of political societal norms.
We bear witness as individuals and as a society to the changes or lack of change during these turbulent times.
Our current understanding of history comes from those in our past, our older relatives, our ancestors or ancients who related on paper, through conversations, in books, or in recordings what was truly happening. Without choosing to bear witness in a truthful manner of events that occur around us, we only see what we choose to see or what information we allow our bodies and minds to ingest.
Snow reflecting a fresh start for this new year outside my front door complete with mailbox. (Clio Ajana)
For over a week, snow, winds, and cold were my constant companions. There is beauty in bearing witness to these natural events of nature. For those who live in cold-weather states, this is not a major event as it is normal to expect such a scene during the winter months. For those who live in warmer climates or for those whose winter is actually a rainy season, a fire season, or a dry season, this scene might be terribly frightening.
Without pictures, written or oral descriptions, some might not believe that snow coming up to the bottom of a mailbox is an actual possibility. We each bear witness to these minor events daily, just as we collectively bear witness to major events such as wars, famine, political turmoil, gun violence, outbreaks of disease, and mental health challenges. Regardless of any disturbing aspects for any given situation, someone has to make the decision about how best to disseminate information.
Too often those who bear witness are reminders of the need for empathy and understanding. As we are human, each of these situations is a human event. As individuals and as a society, we crave knowing the truth of a situation. Witnesses allow others to process and deal with everyday stresses. If and when we can see, hear, and acknowledge the truth, we are able to live our lives with more grace, empathy, and understanding.
What we do not see, hear, or know, we might not be able to grasp or understand fully. Everyday events where we bear witness as neighbors, friends, or relatives include commonalities such as car accidents or when someone falls. During the pandemic, the lack of some events such as domestic violence, child abuse, spousal abuse, animal cruelty can be linked to a decrease of those able to bear witness. If children are learning from home and not in a classroom, who can report or bear witness to signs that a child is being abused. Likewise, if many who work from home or in jobs where fewer individuals are able to see signs that an individual is in a domestic violence situation, then the lack of witnesses equates with a lack of reporting.
I noted a rise in bathroom stalls at various locations about the signs of an unhealthy or potentially abusive situation. In a time when fewer individuals are able to bear witness, the signs posted help others to remember to help themselves.
As we continue to emerge from the major stages of the pandemic, I think of where and how each of us bears witness. In the age of turbulence, what responsibility do we, as humans, bear with regard to holding history fast in our collective memory? What is the true role of being a witness? Is it to forget? Is it to remember each minute detail for the sake of our posterity? Is it to use what we see to change the future? Is it to wipe away or to revise history in some form?
While there is still an understanding that certain events are atrocities committed against fellow humans, does there remain a strong ethic that we, as humans, must continue to bear witness in a truthful account?
Acknowledging the harshness of war or any key moment requires a great deal of responsibility, yet this is rarely taught or discussed. Perhaps it is intuited through the filters that each human supposedly carries that we will just know how to be a good witness. In the end, do we need to remind our children, our friends, our neighbors, our bosses, and our political leaders about the reality of being a witness?
Tools that used to be harbingers of truth, such as the local newspaper, are on the decline. Even those who do not or who have not read a newspaper online or in physical form need the truth as witnessed by those who are willing to put in written or oral form what they have seen or what they know. This allows others to make a more clear and informed decision.
Without witness bearers, be they journalists or just a neighbor down the street, we might not have the extra knowledge or information that is necessary during times of making choices: voting during elections, picking a doctor for an important medical procedure, finding the best school or institution of higher learning for a child, or giving input for community projects.
During the Ukrainian conflict, the manner of saying goodbye addresses the implications for more than the individual, and for something larger than the individual. In saying “Glory to Ukraine” the response in return is “Glory to the Heroes”.
Each of us who bears witness is a hero for something larger than ourselves. We are truth bearers. While we are not in an active war situation in the United States, we are responsible for sharing the societal responsibility of truth.
Each day we observe, see, and can recall events that happen. The responsibility of a witness implies a readiness and preparation to present the truth about a given situation, task, or person. A war correspondent or journalist recalls the facts of a situation to report to the world outside of the war what is happening on the ground or in an area where most people are unable or unwilling to travel. When we cannot see or experience the reality of a given situation, we rely upon witnesses to recreate the image of truth for the historical record. At times, witnesses are in danger simply for relaying a situation accurately.
Likewise, as everyday people, we may be in danger for telling the truth. Do we remain silent on the sidelines or do we choose to remain ethical while contributing to the whole of society?
As we begin our year, I recall the tree, the snow, and the new reality that requires our choice to bear witness. As we do so, we liberate ourselves from the past, and we embrace a future of hope and healing for ourselves, our society and our world.
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