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In our time of social distancing, this carved wood sculpture of the return of the prodigal son by Marie Romero Cash reminds us what it means to hold and to be held. A native of New Mexico, Cash works with natural pigments and local woods like pinyon pine to make her folk art pieces, keeping alive the traditions of the Hispanic “saint-makers” who once crafted simply styled holy images for outlying communities in what is now the American Southwest, at a time when religious artifacts from Mexico were in short supply.

Robert Shetterly never planned to paint portraits. But as he describes it, quoting Terry Tempest Williams, he was filled with “sacred rage.” Everywhere he turned he heard voices lining up denial, lies, and hateful political maneuvering. Everywhere he turned he saw the denial of basic human rights for people with disabilities, the marginalization of LGBTQ communities, police brutality aimed at Black and Brown people, and a disregard for the guardians of the earth and sacred lands.

Anjet van Linge is an expert at remaining still. She and her husband manage a small working farm in the remote north of the Netherlands, along the North Sea. The farm also serves as a retreat, where Van Linge hosts organizations undertaking major transitions and guides them through reflective exercises. Working with challenging group dynamics, she encourages people to find internal stillness, leading to more reflective collective action.