The Fierce Quiet of Truth- Joan of Arc Today

⚖️ When truth stands alone, it still stands—just ask Joan of Arc. 🛡️⚜️

Joan of Arc Scroll Medal
This brass alloy medal can be worn on a necklace, a keychain, dogtags, on a bag, or in your car.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Joan of Arc
• 2:32 Personal Connection Through Art
• 5:00 Sharing Joan's Medal with Warriors
• 8:08 The Importance of Truth

Transcript

The Fierce Quiet of Truth- Joan of Arc Today 

When a teenage girl with no army, no title, and no fear tells the truth —empires tremble.

Joan of Arc was a 15th century peasant girl who changed the course of history. She didn’t ask for the job—she didn’t want the job. 

Sometimes you hear the call before you are needed.  But when she heard divine voices calling her to save France, she took action.

At 17, she led armies with tactical brilliance and unshakeable courage. She wasn't born into power—she challenged it. And in doing so, she became the soul of a nation.

We know her story in rare, vivid detail—thanks to the transcripts from her trial. Her enemies thought the fire would silence her—but it only made her eternal. Joan didn’t fade into legend—she shows up, fierce and alive. 

Marking the true beginning of France—and today, a symbol of what it means to act with courage, especially when the odds say don’t.

I have to fess up

As an art instructor for over 30 years, I have worked with young adults and been dazzled by their creativity, passion and daring -and I had the privilege of witnessing their growth from uncertainty to meaningful self-awareness. So yeah, I have a deep regard for teenagers-and their immense capabilities.

As a working artist, I love bringing ideas to life though an array of materials, from sheet metal and paint to glass and steel. The idea always tells me what material to use!

This is my back door way of telling you how Joan entered my life. I was working on a 7’ painting of Joan of Arc, charging on horseback  at the battle of Orleans.  I struggled for months to finish the painting. 

One Saturday morning, I walked into my studio- and realized Joan had to be a medal.

If the idea says it has to be a medal, that's what I do! I didn’t know anything about “striking a medal!” Long story short, I learned! Everything fell into place for the Joan of Arc Scroll Medal. That was in 2006, and since then over 6,300 medals continue to go world-wide.

I created this scroll medal as a symbol of hope in the face of overwhelming odds.I intended it to go to military women and men,but soon realized that the medal had a much wider reach:

People who battle illness, go into recovery, or face an overwhelming challenge or simply want to connect with their loved ones. But that’s Joan- she’ll go where she wants to and where she is needed.

Fast Forward 

Since the last election, like so many Americans, I’ve felt the constant weight of uncertainty. We’re living in a time when core parts of our democracy feel fragile, tested. In the face of that, I felt the need to carry Joan medals with me whenever I left the house.

Situations started to happen. I can’t tell you why, but I gave one to our veterinarian and said, “A warrior for a warrior of healing.” She immediately put it on her necklace chain. I watched in muted appreciation.

At the end of my dental appointment, the dentist and her dental assistant and I were talking about what’s happening in the country and how we are coping. I reached into my pocket and handed each a medal.  Again, I told them you are warriors, helping & healing- we need warriors now more than ever. They unwrapped their medals and the look on their faces said it all.

I have since had many opportunities to share Joan. In fact, it started with a friend who with a brain tumor, decided to ride her bike from the Canadian border to Mexico and be a spokeswoman for the rare disease that caused the tumor. This for a big-hearted, bad-ass warrior living life at full tilt!

Now I realize that I sell the medals to pay for the making & shipping of medals. 

But when I hand the unexpected medal to someone- it becomes a sacred exchange. A transubstantiation of life’s holy everydayness where love, truth, community still matters. And we are in this life together.

So, What Is Truth? Why Does it Even Matter?

Truth is what aligns with reality. It’s the raw, unvarnished "what is"—regardless of whether it’s comfortable, convenient, or popular.

Why is it important? Because without truth, we’re untethered. We make decisions in the dark. Truth is the ground beneath our feet—the stuff that helps us think clearly, act wisely, and build trust. Without it, everything from science to relationships to democracy starts to crack.

Truth matters because lies—whether personal or systemic—cost us. They distort, divide, and dehumanize. Truth, on the other hand, clears the fog. It doesn’t guarantee easy answers, but it gives us a place to stand.

And that brings me back to Joan of Arc. Her story isn’t just medieval- its eternal.  Because when truth becomes your compass, and justice your North Star, you don’t just change your time. You echo across centuries.

For you and me today, it’s enough to say: truth matters.