Field Notes - Four
priv.i.lege
noun
a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group.
a special advantage gained by birth, social position, effort or concession.
Without a doubt you have heard the notion of privilege being bounced around within a myriad of contextes over the past few years, and more often than not, in a way that denigrates the holder of privilege.
When I was 23 years old, I went to El Salvador on a solidarity trip to bear witness to the stories and experiences of those who had survived through the 12 year civil war between the Salvadoran government and its citizens.
It was a trip organized by the Social Justice Committee of Montreal, a non-denominational, community-based solidarity group under the umbrella of the Catholic Diocese of Montreal, and to which my mother was a member. My first thought was to see this adventure as an opportunity to add another country to my list of places visited, yet I quickly learned that it was to be a much more profound and life altering experience.
Visiting communities, listening to villagers, participating in round-table discussions, playing with the children - I could not believe how much joy and hope the Salvadorans possessed despite the immense tragedies they had endured and the monumental mountain they still had to climb. They considered it a privilege that we were there, bearing witness to their past horrors, listening to their current struggles, rejoicing in their accomplishments, and most importantly, giving them hope for the future. Our presence in their communities meant they were not a forgotten people, that they were acknowledged as humans worthy of existing and being counted as citizens of the world, and that their stories would be transmitted far and wide. In return, what an immense privilege it was for me to have been entrusted to hold space and hope for these remarkable people.
In memory of the El Mozote masacre, Morazán, El Salvador, July 1993
Once firmly back on Montreal soil, the weight of my own privilege could not have been heavier as I walked the streets of my city in a haze of helplessness, not able to make sense of the world in which I lived, compared to the place that I had just come from. To make matters more difficult, I was teaching in one of the most elite private girls schools in all of Canada, and even amongst my peers I had a most privileged teaching position.
Not one to ignore my angst, and searching for clarity, I spoke with Ernie, the priest who led our group, and one of the most selfless, intelligent and hard working souls that I have ever met. A person who dedicated his life to accompanying displaced people back to their homes, observing and reporting on corrupt election practices in developing countries, and continuously risking his life fighting for justice for marginalized, forgotten and displaced communities.
Ernie said to me that I was born in a place, to a family, within a life context, just the luck of the draw, and there was nothing to feel ashamed of, or badly for.
He continued …
There is human suffering all around you, in all communities, throughout all socio-economic spheres - wherever you work, live and play. Your responsibility is to understand your talents and strengths because those are your privileges, and in doing so, you accept and honour yourself, which then allows you to accept and honour the other.
Knowing your gifts means that you move away from judgement and can then be fully present to those with whom you come in contact.
The purpose of your life is to use the privilege of who you are, your sensitivity, your knowledge, and your skills to make the lives better for your students and all those with whom you interact.
Ernie had taught me the most profound lesson of my life, and though I might have been working with a financially privileged student population, I began to see the cracks and the needs of the young girls in my care, and to reject the notion that because someone has privilege in one area, they should be discounted as a unique human being with their own backstories and challenges.
Today as we struggle to make sense of what is seemingly the downward spiralling of humanity and the destruction of our planet, maybe it’s time to reframe our understanding of privilege?
Maybe it’s time we slow down, look within ourselves, and understand the gifts and talents that we are privileged to possess?
Maybe it’s time to acknowledge our privileges so that we may use them for good in the world and light the way for others?
Maybe if I see, accept and honour my privilege, then I can see, accept and honour the privilege of the other?
Maybe this is a road map to lead us away from judgement of ourselves and the other, and heal the divide that keeps us separate from each other?
My privilege is that I am confident, not scared to take risks, and I trust in where life is taking me. I also have the privilege of a desire that propels me to investigate what lies beneath and what lays within the human condition. I did absolutely nothing to earn these privileges, I was born this way, but it took me 50 years to fully understand it and own it. Now that I know it, I can’t pretend that I don’t have it and I do not feel that I have to excuse myself for it. What I can do though, is honour the privilege that I see in others and hold it to the light so that they may see their privilege too.
Now it’s your turn, what’s your privilege ?!
💛 Lisa xx
p.s. please scroll to the bottom of this page for the comments section.
If you would like to follow my daily wanderings please click on the Instagram icon below
