Author: kenwoodley3

Writing. Lots of writing.

That’s what I’ve been up to since I left The Farmville Herald at the end of May 2015.

I’ve always tried to show words a good time—take them out for a nice bite of something good to eat, maybe a show afterwards. You know the sort of thing. Often, admittedly, the words don’t return my calls when I phone to ask them out again. Plenty of times I couldn’t blame them, either.

But I must write to live. It’s like breathing. Even if my breath stinks, I’ve still got to keep panting. Same goes for writing.

I began writing a book on Prince Edward County’s civil rights journey—creation of the Brown Scholarships (the first Civil Rights-era reparation in U.S. history) as its centerpiece—the moment I left the newspaper. It was a day of sudden downpours. I remember hugging a colleague farewell in the parking lot. The sky said it all. I miss the community of people, and being by their side with meaning and purpose, so much.

Writing the book has kept me sane. Relatively. Every day, I’m sitting at the kitchen table, typing away, my pug dog, Pugsley, happily asleep at my feet. The book is called “Gather Your Light: Overcoming the Shadow of Massive Resistance.” I might have finished it a few moments ago. Of course, I’ve thought the same thing dozens of times.

U.S. Senator Mark Warner has written a terrific foreword for the book, and Tim Kaine—you might have heard of him, too—penned a brilliant afterword. At the very least, I’ll publish a decent seven-page volume called “The Collected Forewords and Afterwords of Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, edited by Ken Woodley.” (Smiley-faced emoji.)

I’ve also been writing a weekly meditation for my church, at the invitation of our pastor, the Rev. John Boucher. That led to another blessing I never saw coming. It gave me the confidence to “audition” for Forward Day By Day. An agency of the Episcopal Church, Forward Day By Day has been publishing daily spiritual meditations since 1935. It has half a million readers in 50 countries. I was asked to write the January 2018 meditations. An unbelievable opportunity. I know it’s not a dream because I have a contract and the thirty-one 210-word pieces are complete.

So, the bottom line of what I’ve been up to is that God is good. So is my wife, Kim. None of these things would have happened without her love and support.

There’s lots of words left in me, yet, and I thank you so much for joining me as we take them out together. Some may be indigestible. You don’t have to swallow them all.

No. Not that way. That way lies darkness.

Come this way. Over here. Let’s take these first steps together toward the fields of light. We’ll stumble, for sure. Trip and fall. But we’ll always get back up. You take my hand. I’ll welcome yours. Together, we’ll make it. Together we’ll share the light.

In the days ahead, we’ll catch up. It’s been a long time. Much has happened. But not today. Today we begin this journey together and that is more important. Thank you so much for being here.

Oh, sure. I hear them, too. The fields of darkness are always calling, leaving voice mails, tweeting this and tweeting that. “Tweetle-Dee” and “Tweetle-Dum.” Offering us the world. Two worlds for the price of one. Buy one world and get one free.

Yes, the same old song: “You can have anything your heart desires. Just give me what I want and nobody gets hurt.”

Yeah, right. But the fine print never changes: an eye for an eye for an eye for an eye forever and ever and no amens, if you please.

Light, on the other hand, turns the other cheek. Light doesn’t betray with a kiss, it loves. Darkness wants to rule the world. Darkness wants every vote. Light doesn’t need a nomination. Doesn’t need to be elected. Doesn’t need to be sworn in. Light just is. Light always has been. Light always will be. It’s just that sometimes darkness convinces us to close our eyes and then swears that’s all we really need to see.

A few more steps. No, there is no security perimeter. No border check around the fields of light. Your credit balance doesn’t matter. Your creed, your color, party affiliation or the sound of your music will not be used against you in the fields of light.

Now, yes, just through those slogans and soundbites and be careful of the marionette’s strings, the pomp and circumstance of puppetry. Yes, the fields of light await. No, we aren’t the first to find them. And thank God for that. Countless millions have come before us. Even more will come after we’ve gone.

The wondrous thing about this light is that there is enough for everyone. Love and grace, too, it’s all a part of the light. We’ll glean what we need and leave the rest behind for those still on their way. Just as others have done for us. We won’t stash the light away in off-shore securities. True light, happily, cannot be hoarded or stuck in a vault. Light is its own dividend.

Oh, and yes, a word of advice: don’t worry if you experience light that lasts longer than four hours. Leave your doctor to care for someone with the flu. Just enjoy the ride. It’s the journey of a lifetime.