Atone: the future way

(shrugs)

We often think of the word “atone” as the act of making amends, I invite you to take a moment today and free write while thinking of atonement in another way:

What if atoning was more future-facing? What if atoning involved considering your community (however you define that) and what it needs, what skills you have that you need to share more fully in order to help your community, and how you can build the habits to be able to serve in that way.

Because then the idea of atoning isn’t about searching your soul for ways in which you suck (though, let’s be real, we should all regularly consider where we can each improve, and we should certainly be clear on where we do need to make actual amends with others and do it) but about how your particular talents and gifts serve the world best. And, to be sure, “serving” can absolutely mean sharing your writing, putting your work out into the world, using your writing skills to speak truth to power, or to take on causes important to you.