choosing at the crossroads
May I cling to relationship through adversity.
Ruth 1:14
Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
Throughout my life, I’ve closely observed the relationship between Ruth and Naomi in this passage. As a young queer teen, I repeatedly read about these two women who chose each other out of deep affection and emotional connection. Their bond heartened me. However, today, my focus shifts toward Orpah.
Orpah’s decision may be the one that honored her own needs the most. She was grieving and the call to heal with her family of origin may have been the best move for her. I also witness another possibility in her decision to leave that I see moments of myself in.
At life’s crossroads, I have chosen familiarity and ease over remaining with others facing oppression and adversity. I’ve rationalized it as the ‘safe’ choice. I recognize the relationships I have let slip - the moments when I didn’t stay. Orpah’s departure represents that part of me as I reflect today. I hold my past decisions and seek strength to choose presence over fleeing, especially when a stranger-made-kin faces oppression, uncertainty, and isolation.
May I stay. May I cling to relationship through adversity.
What steps can you take to forgive yourself for past decisions that you now view differently? How can you balance self-care with the call to act justly and support those facing systemic injustices?
Well-said, my friend