Whats Up With 13 Poem by Nabeela Black

Some say avoid 13 at all costs
The Interfaith PeaceWalk debunked that superstition and ushered in our Bar Mitzvah with overwhelming spiritual showers of blessing!

Turning 13 has great significance:
moving from tween to teen,
enlarging expectations, seeking to have a greater voice,
becoming more aware of the world around you………and its brokenness.
And start to take responsibility for reconciliation.


13 in dog years equates to being a senior citizen.
For many, a time for more reflection and to dwindle down that bucket list.
For Peacewalkers, realizing the cost if you don't speak out and act,
it's the time frankly to not give a damn about naysayers and negativity.
And, *even if you have to struggle to stay alive, be as useful as you can.




Biblically,13 represents bonding in to oneness.
Some say they come as a way to 'fight the good fight" together.
But really, each Peacewalker is a 'piece of the good peace ';
*Committed to live non-violently even if the change we work for seems impossible.
So instead of running a race to win for oneself,
Peacewalkers step out in (Inter) faith - a win win for all.


Like every adolescent, the Interfaith PeaceWalk is 13.......going on 30.
Young enough to walk with starry eyed belief in unarmed truth.
Old enough to have moved beyond angst, focused on the vision of right triumphant.
As sidebyside
we become an unbreakable wall of
LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE


L'chaim and Mazal Tov!


Dedicated to the memory of Father Daniel Berrigan*, who lives forever as 13