Learning Lab Consulting

“Where Does it Hurt?”: Ruby Sales Beautiful Question

From The SpiritHouse Project website where Ruby Sales is the founder and director, Sales is a “nationally-recognized human-rights activist, public theologian, and social critic, whose articles and work appear in many journals, online sites, and books.”  Sales came of age and took part in the Civil Rights movement and has continued her work since that time.

On Sept. 15, Krista Tippett had a conversation with Ruby Sales on On Being, Tippett’s podcast/radio show.  They discussed Sales beautiful question, “Where does it hurt?”

Sales points us to the realization that “you can’t talk about injustice without talking about suffering. But the reason why I want to have justice is because I love everybody in my heart. And if I didn’t have that feeling, that sense, then there would be no struggle.”  In this context, the question, “Where does it hurt?” brings us back to love.

On Being is continuing the conversation nationally by inviting people to answer the questions,

“What do you see in the way of generative relationships, of new openings and surprising connections, in your communities. Where does it hurt? And what gives you comfort? Where are you planting and finding hope and courage?”   

I asked myself this question while running along the Olentangy River this weekend. The tearful answer re-centered me.  I hope the practice is meaningful to you as well.

Photo taken of Anis Mojgani’s book of poetry and illustrations The Pocketknife Bible.