“What was Jimmy Carter trying to teach us in taking his final bow at this pivotal moment in America?” asked Isabel Wilkerson (author of Caste and The Warmth of Other Suns) on Instagram this week. She answered her question by writing …
- That there is, in fact, goodness and decency in the world when we fret that there is none.
- That … people can do great good in the world if they can find their purpose and call.
- That wise and measured sacrifices on behalf of the whole… can achieve the desired goal…
- That patience, kindness, compassion, and tenacity are superpowers that take time to bear fruit but last beyond the whims of any moment and can have more power than naked dominance.
She ended her post by saying, “He taught us that defeat is not the end but the beginning. He left us a blueprint for harnessing life’s disappointments into the greatest and longest-lasting gifts for ourselves and the world.”
I would say that President Carter’s superpower was his integrity – his commitment to align his actions with his principles of justice, truth, humility, service, compassion, and love. And, I would add, his commitment to peace.
May this week’s focus on Jimmy Carter’s life inspire us all to live our lives with integrity, courage, generosity, and love. The world needs us to do so.