Brian Shivers

Well, I actually am a theologian and I have several things to say:

1) The First Amendment crucial to defend. Crucial. Emergency time.

2) "lo tignov" probably meant "do not steal PEOPLE," no kidnapping, ironic given ICE

and "don't covet" is probably

"don't exploit," so, again

*looks at camera*

“Leadership isn’t about control, it’s about purpose.” @johnamaechi.apsintel.com

Kindness is all about intention.
That which you nurture grows.
Feed what you want to become a habit.

transgender youth,
people with autism,
those who are nonbinary,
the neurodiverse,
the ones born with an extra chromosome,
children with a genetic deletion,
every single one,
a blessing to the world,
a beautiful beloved child of God
in the fullness of their humanity
-bshivers

Not knowing about our horrible history is intentional ignorance. And it is so, so dangerous.

What?!

We don’t get to change history
or claim that it didn’t happen
or adjust the facts to match our narrative
even when the story is
painful, inconvenient, or ugly.
Maybe especially then.
-bshivers

When you learn to fear what you don’t understand, what you fear becomes that which you hate, and what you hate becomes that which you wish to destroy.
This cycle comes to an end through proximity, understanding, and compassion. It the more difficult way, but it leads to life and flourishing for all.

weeds
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Holy Saturday
“It’s Saturday”
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Make no mistake
he road a donkey,
not a warhorse.
Those were palm branches
and cloaks in their hands,
not rattling sabers
or loaded rifles.
They shouted hosannas
and wept for peace.
There were no battle cries
or demands for vengeance.
“Blessed is the one who comes
in the name of the Lord.”
-bshivers

The ground is sacred
from the start.
The birthplace
of all things living,
and where everything returns
once again.
Shoes off.
Feel the pulsing earth
beneath your feet.
It is holy;
so are you.
-bshivers

“I’m your huckleberry,” Doc Holliday as played by Val Kilmer in Tombstone. Two of my favorite scenes in one of my favorite movies.
Rest in peace, Val Kilmer.

“I’m your huckleberry,” Doc Holliday played by Val Kilmer in Tombstone. Two of my favorite scenes in one of my favorite movies.
Rest in peace, Val Kilmer.

O shout of laughter
outburst of indecorous noise,
explosion of absurdity,
shaking the helpless body with glee,
puncturing the proud and the pompous;
you are the destroyer of convention:
come, upend our table of pomposity and pride
with your sudden detonations
- Richard Skinner, from Invocations

Behold
not perfection,
but completeness and integrity.
You are seen.
You are beautiful.
You are loved.
#transdayofvisibility
2/2

On this is Trans Day of Visibility.
See
someone for who they are
in the fullness of their identity.
Greet
their entire personhood
with gladness and felicity.
Honor
their humanity
in its beautiful complexity.
1/2

Sometimes a prayer
sounds exactly like silence;
a song of the heart.
-bshivers
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Listen.
Take a breath,
a deep one.
That space
in between
each beat
of your heart,
a gentle reminder
that you are okay.
You
are
okay.
Take a breath.
Listen.
-bshivers

Perfection.

Spring Equinox (a poem)

Dear friend,
You have done what you could
with what you had to give.
Rest.
You deserve it.
It is a quiet act of resistance
to the machine that always demands more.
You are not a commodity.
You are not production.
You are not your job.
You are you.
And that is all you need to be.
Rest.
-bshivers

Hate is the danger.

Shine all the more.

Until they realized that they belonged
to the space they occupied,
and it belonged to them.
They were created to be in it.
And someone else’s insecurities
was never a reason to diminish their light.
So they began to shine all the more.
-bshivers
2/2

They were told they took up too much space,
so they began to shrink even more.
1/2

Silencing dissenting voices
is not leadership.
It is
deep insecurity
and immaturity.

Where were you
when you finally realized
that you are worthy
of love, acceptance,
and space to be?
If it wasn’t any other place
or any other time,
then let it be here
and let it be now.
-bshivers

You did it.
You made it
through another day
into another evening.
Sometimes,
that’s all you can do.
It’s quite the accomplishment.
And it is enough.
Rest well.
-bshivers