Coffee Talk a reminder that there are many ways to make a difference

By Toni Niemiec

As Coffee Talk ended yesterday I felt my energy once again revived. Looking around there were discussions going on as people lingered, questions being asked, people wanting to know how and what to do to make a difference. Each of the panelists approached the topic from a distinctly different perspective. There was lively discussion during the Coffee Talk itself with individuals making comments, offering information, and asking questions.

Listening, I heard that there are as many ways to make a difference as there are individuals. For some, it may be to learn about and become a community organizer (Spokane Alliance and Peace and Justice Action League were both mentioned as possibilities for training and education into the process.) For others, it may be a matter of listening and sharing in a less formal manner with the people in our lives. Becoming involved in groups such as FāVS where communication skills, learning how to listen and speak compassionately and respectively with others is also key.

Finally, it is important to take action on whatever scale works for the individual. It is important to find people who can support us when we become discouraged and not isolate ourselves. We may not see the changes we want to see in the near future or even in our life time, we are in this for the long haul, for the generations that are to come and for the planet.

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Toni Niemiec

Walking the spiritual path has been part of the Rev. Toni Niemiec’s life as long as she can remember. She said as a child she was not raised in a “traditional” religion.