On the evening of January 12, DePaul (DePaul University, Chicago) students braved the frigid winter winds and set aside the mounting heap of assignments and tasks in order to not only show our solidarity with the Haitian people, but to show that we, like many others, have not forgotten.
We began the night in a darkened room lit by a small group of flickering candles on the floor. Within minutes, the room was left to reverberate with the light of the dancing flames, the soothing melodies of contemplative music, and the whispered words of a prayer and our intentions.
We were asked, in guided meditation, to reflect on what it would have been like to experience the earthquake. In our thoughts, we were united in the suffering, and hope, of the Haitian people.
The room, filled with individuals from various traditions and holding a wide array of beliefs, was momentarily united in a solemn vow of solidarity. There was truly a sense of peace in the room – a sense of belonging, a sense of community and spirit, a sense that something bigger than ourselves had facilitated the event. Many left inspired, others left with a sense of peace, others with questions, and others still did not leave at all. Rather, they each picked up a candle and brought the vigil to the streets, seeking to unite with the rest of the world in that sense of belonging, of community, of spirit.
Fighting through snow and biting bouts of wind, several students made their way, in silence, to the Quad, where we huddled and shared a final prayer and moment of silence for those impacted by the disaster in Haiti.
There were many other vigils held across the nation and the world on that day. The vigil truly gave many a chance to reflect not only in the situation in Haiti, but how we, as individuals, relate to the situation and to each other.
The vigil ended at the Quad, and while the night was over, the peace felt in the midst of reflection and slow procession, the solidarity affirmed in our united intentions, and the desire to assist my fellow human beings, still gripped me, as if this event, like the Haitian disaster and all devastating events, should not be left in the annals of forgotten memory, but rather, recalled and reflected upon in the pursuit of our lives. Each and every moment, there is an opportunity for vigil – for reflection, for solidarity, for an understanding of our common bonds. It is a matter of if we will still the roaring rush of our daily affairs and commit to the music of our heart, the light of our love, and the silence of our mind.
My prayers continually go out to Haiti and to those affected not only by the earthquake, but by suffering, disaster, and injustice across the world.
- Peter Dziedzic
2010 Youth Ambassador Alumnus
President, DePaul Interfaith
