Have you ever played "Frogger?"

Words of Power

“Who doesn't love 'Frogger?' It draws its power from our shared memories of powerlessness. Wherever we are now, at one time or another, we have all felt the poor frog's anxiety in the face of the world's intransigence, its blind and callous disregard for our happiness or well being.” D. B. Weiss

I confess that I have never played “Frogger.” I am so bad at video games that my sons won't allow me hold a controller in my hands. But I have seen the trials and tribulations of poor Frogger—trying to cross roads without being squashed by a car, trying to get home to the safety of the pond. In my hands, he's dead before he even begins his journey. The game is a high speed, swamp-based action thriller. Who knew we could identify so strongly with an amphibian.

What we all identify with is the feeling of being small and powerless; as Kermit sings, “It's Not That Easy Being Green.” Even if we are a 300-pound linebacker in the NFL, there are things in this world that render us powerless. What can we do in the face of insanity, brutality, endless war, the plague of Ebola, floods and fires and on and on. Just like Frogger, we run for cover.

The feeling of powerlessness, though universal, is one we hate to admit to, we struggle against. In the words of Gary Zukav, “ The pain of powerlessness is excruciating. It's the most painful experience in the earth-school, and everyone shares it.” Watching a sick child, or a loved one succumbing to addiction, or a parent or grandparent being eroded by Alzheimer's disease render us utterly helpless. It's the worst feeling in the world.

The only weapon we have, as ordinary citizens and people on the periphery, is our voice. We can speak our truth. We can grieve, and pray, and comfort one another. We can speak words of kindness and conciliation. We can speak up when we see injustice and suffering. Words of love are more powerful than guns, more potent than bombs. When you're feeling powerless, let your words of compassion be the defense you use. It worked for Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. and it will work for us, too.

                                                     In the Spirit,

                                                           Jane