The headlines have been pretty dramatic recently – refugees, migrants, protests, unrest. But behind these dramatic reports there are other stories: Stories of seemingly ordinary people living extraordinary lives. If there’s one thing I’ve discovered about exploring inner elegance that continually inspires me – it’s that circumstances have absolutely nothing to do with whether our lives are elegant or not. It’s often in the places that appear to be the most dark, the most desperate and the most difficult where we find elegance.

 

Since the death of Freddie Gray in a police van this spring, the city of Baltimore has been dealing with the fall out. Images of destruction and buildings on fire filled our screens. One day later, Melanie Townsend Diggs, Head Librarian, made her way through the rubble and broken glass to open the doors of The Enoch Pratt Free Library, at the epicenter of the destruction declaring it “a safe haven”.

 

This summer has been the most violent in Baltimore’s history and yet this courageous woman has created a sanctuary where people can read, use computers, play chess and now she even provides free lunches for the children who have no food at home.

 

Melanie Townsend Diggs is tapping into her faith to sustain her and to give her the courage to be the change she wants to see in the world. It doesn’t matter to her that the odds are stacked against her and resources are limited, she’s doing it any way because she feels it’s the right thing to do. She feels it’s the only thing to do and she is making a real difference in people’s lives. For many of the children, the library is the only place they feel safe.

 

The resilience of the human spirit continually amazes me. No matter how difficult circumstances might be, no matter how dark, there’s something glorious in us that longs for connection, longs for kindness and longs to make things better: Something that looks for hope, possibility and a better way.

 

With so many disturbing news stories out there – of war, of conflict, of oppression, let’s remember to take note of the inspiring stories that are everywhere behind the headlines.

 

We can all live elegant lives by being the best we can be and being of service to others and creating community. In the words of Melanie Townsend Diggs, “We are making what we want come to reality.”