My first few days have been slow. I’ve started writing a speech, created a presentation, and observed an important meeting. But mostly my job this week is to begin learning the history of conflict here and the philosophy this organization approaches peace with.
Even though I’d like to breeze through a few books on the subjects, I have to keep talking breaks. I have a hundred years of history and a few decades of social justice work to get familiar with. The material is dense, there are so many acronyms, and peace is a subject that is extremely challenging to read from a desk.
Yet, my muscle memory from having a constantly heavy workload is guiding me to rush through this introductory phase so I can learn more, write more, understand more. Keep up with the others. But I’m starting to embrace a change of pace. I am becoming a patient learner; nothing else would do this issue justice.
With at least a hundred years of conflict and continuous struggle, it is be easy to think social transformation is impossible, especially if you are looking for quick, tangible results. Luckily, everyone I work with is full of wisdom and had some candid advice to overcome disillusionment. . During my first lunch, one of my supervisors explained that change is slow. You have to keep knocking on doors and chipping away at blocks. And then when everything is right change will come.
These organizations are working without an end date. No final tournament or competition will come to let them know their work has paid off. Results come slowly and unexpectedly. In their fight to break down violence, they have to be armed with patience.
At the end of an inspiring meeting today, where peace leaders from around the region embarked on a landmark cooperative effort that will take up much of the rest of my summer, the air was filled with an almost palpable excitement. But one rising star of the organization cautioned, “I think we need to remember. We are in Northern Ireland. Things are not going to happen fast.”
I think that’s part of what’s special here.
Explorations on the Emmarald Isle 