An Invitation to fast for Janet tomorrow

I ran a summer camp at the UU Church here in Cheyenne last month.  It was a Comedy Improv Camp and I hired two excellent young men to direct the camp.  One of them, Dan Symonds had been to a Quaker social-justice training and used an opening he’d been taught there to open the camp.  (Dan is Jewish, his improv partner, Tom, is Catholic; the camp was at a Unitarian Church and the campers ran the spectrum.)

“If you are healthy, I want to welcome you.  If you are not feeling healthy, I want to welcome you.  If you are nervous, I want you to feel welcome, it’s ok to feel nervous.  If you are confident, I want you to feel welcome, it’s ok to feel confident.”  And he went on for about 5 minutes.

I really loved it.  It seemed so simple and radical, such a sign of respect for the kids.  We assume so often when we say, “you are all invited,” that we mean you and you and you.   But sometimes it’s nice to hear your name called and receive explicit invitation.  So consider this yours.

 

Our own fMhJanet has a host of health issues that make navigating life hard.  Being a wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, ward member can be tricky without a host of chronic pain issues that make the simplest tasks ridiculously complicated for our sweet Janet.

We call Janet “sweet” and “saintly” around these parts a lot because she is those things but she’s also a professional badass.  We aren’t having a fast for Janet because she is weak and needs our strength; we are having a fast for her because she’s strong and we want to celebrate her strength and add ours to her considerable stores.

Many of you know that I am an atheist who has never been a Mormon.  So it’s probably obvious that what this fast means to me will be different than what it means to you.  My first experience joining with my feminist Mormon sisters was last year when Artemis’s pregnancy was in jeopardy. The memory of it still cuts a deep gash in my heart- it was so hard to spend the day imagining our twin heroes, those little embryo’s needing just enough fluid to survive, getting enough.  I spent most of the day trying not to think of them; it was too painful.  But that’s the beauty of stepping into any ritual, eventually it has it’s way with you.  If you want to turn your thoughts away from eating sooner or later like a migrating bird your thoughts will find their way home.  So while the fast may be about and for Janet and her health if fasting turns your thoughts to your own health or motherhood or community, I would consider those thoughts holy and part of the process.

For our friends with ED I hope you will read this excellent post from Zelophehad’s Daughters, particularly the comments about fasting.

If you are a believing Mormon we would like to welcome you to fast with us for Janet.

If you are an inactive Mormon we would like to invite you to fast with us.

If you are male, female, gay, straight, queer, trans, cis, or other we would like you to join us.

If you are a Muslim, Catholic, Jew, Hindu, Bahai, Protestant, Jain, Buddhist, Agnostic, Atheist, Wiccan, Scientologist, or other we would like you to join us.

Mother of 8, father of none, depressed, ecstatic, questioning or confident we hope you will join us in fasting for our sister, Janet.

We love her very much and want her burdens lifted or at least eased.  If you met her you would love her too- you can’t help it.  She’s a Saint.