You cannot have unity in the absence of diversity. Unity is only possible if diversity exists.
RICHARD TWISS
February 9, 2013 Tayoate Ob Najin (He Stands with His People) died. Richard Leo Twiss was a truly great man. A husband, father of four, activist, leader, author, elder, keeper of stories, and friend.
I will not try to write a summary of his life, I just wish to bear witness to my gratitude for him and my sadness at his passing. Being with Richard made me feel alive. He was present, in a way I aspire to be. I found him spacious and funny. He made me feel like I had a friend, and that I was either as alone, nor as bad as I sometimes feared I might be. I felt like he saw me but still chose to believe in me, while quietly and lovingly wooing me to even more. He had a natural way of helping people see and feel like they really mattered to him, to creation, and to Creator; I soaked that up. Over the years our paths would overlap from time to time, but in the last few years through the Inhabit Conference and with Katherine taking classes at my school our moments of connection were increasing.
I was with Richard at the Presidential Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC just a few days ago.
It was may first time at the “prayer” event while Richard was an old pro and well connected. I think Richard sensed I was a little lost or out of place because after we reconnected on the first night he invited me tag along with him. He introduced me to his Portland crew, had breakfast with the Mayor of Bethlehem, we hung out at the German consulate, and we smoked a cigar. Basically, he made me feel like I belonged. And that wasn’t the first time. This is just part of how he was in the world.
He had a remarkable ability hold complexity and tension even while others retreated into tired binaries, and I remember Richard saying that Creator created for him to be fully Indian and fully Christian. He not only held complexity he often became the connective tissue joining disparate worlds, cultures, or people. Richard has given me a face to the New Testament dare to “speak the truth in love.” He never held back from exposing the truth of colonizing violence, and somehow… he made me feel like a more Shalomic way was possible – maybe inevitable – if we would listen deeply and hear with our whole bodies.
“The real aim of colonialism was to control the people’s wealth, what they produced, how they produced it,” Ngūgī wa Thiong’o sees the way that control was introduced and managed was to deconstruct the people’s sense of self and replace it with that of the colonizer. This would occur when a people’s perception of themselves and their world was overthrown.”
Richard Twiss
I was with Richard when he collapsed in the lobby of that hotel. I’ve replayed these moments hundreds of times. Richard had been complaining of heart burn all day. We picked up antacids. We’d been taking it a little slower. We were coming back inside for the next workshop after a break and some fresh air. Tony Kriz and I were maybe ten steps behind Richard when he dropped to like a ragdoll to the ground. He never regained consciousness. Tony rode in the ambulance with him and didn’t leave Richard’s side until Katherine arrived.
The world lost a beautiful presence. I am so grateful to have known this man! If all I had known were his writings I would have been thankful, but I was lucky enough to have known a little more. My heart breaks for Katherine and their family.
I cherish this photo… I was facilitating and he was part of an all-star panel…just for a moment take in the look he’s giving me. Those wise mischievous eyes . . . he knows what’s up. I miss you Richard, & thank you!
Rest in peace, dwight
