Shakers and Sharers

The Art of Loving is a set of ideas. They aren't mine, but I live them. That's why my book is called Living the Art of Loving. And Chiara Lubich's book is just called The Art of Loving (A of L). Neither book states outright what the A of L is in a list, but this handwritten outline for my book comes close.

Early list outline of the topics I wanted to cover in my book.

Click here to read more about an initiative using these concepts in the classroom.

Like so many motivational concepts, pithy catchphrases like this can have a major impact on life when they're lived in a rigorous way.

Movers and shakers

Movers and shakers are responsible for articulating, embodying and communicating calls for change. Social shakeups often occur during or right after times where the norm is broken in some way. The aftermath of World War II led to many new social and religious movements, including the peace movement, the environmental movement, the women's movement and the disability movement.

Wikipedia says a social movement is:

"A loosely organized effort by a large group of people to achieve a particular goal, typically a social or political one. This may be to carry out a social change, or to resist or undo one. It is a type of group action and may involve individuals, organizations, or both."

Shakers and founders

Movements often have charismatic leaders at their head, who are firebrands of inspiration and cohesion. These are people who rise to the task of representing the hopes and desires of a larger group of people. Think Ghandi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King Jr. So one of the great post-war shakers, who is better known in her native Europe and lesser known in the United States, is Chiara Lubich. Broadly, I suppose you could say she's part of the peace movement, but she has her own inspiration, style and followers.

Shaking it out

Shakers are often very intense and specific. In their great uplifting of a group of people, they often draw stark contrasts between their vision for the future and the brokenness of the present or past. These arcs are both captivating, and can be harsh to some in their own day and later on. While there is nothing quite so powerful as a charismatic leader speaking their language, with their fire, if you've listened to recordings of movers and shakers you'll know that sometimes it's not for everyone. So what happens to that aspect of a shaker's contribution, which belongs integrated into the whole of a mixed society but which, in its original phrasing, does not appeal to all in society?