I think gratitude must be a key element. It just MUST be. I've seen it and lived it (and its opposite) enough to know it as an intangible, unquantifiable truth. So, maybe it could be said that I have faith in it. In gratitude. Also, acceptance (of whatever comes). Enthusiastic abandon (with whatever I/you/we embark upon). Recognizing choice and the power to change a path that isn't serving you (or me). Making time for Meditation (whether that means a walk, a run, yoga, chanting, time in nature, and any mindful activity that serves to heal ourselves or others). That sort of healing is always twofold at the very least and I'm certain it spills over into the rest of the cosmos as well. The world needs so much of that healing spillage, now more than ever it seems. So the more we can do for each other and the more we can love each other, the more we can help one another and not expect something in return - the more peace can prevail. I read a Maya Angelou quote this morning that struck me with it's obvious simplicity and truth and saddened me as I know too many have hardened their hearts or are so cynical that they can't realize it.
“Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet.”
The opposite side of the coin is unfortunately, that hate grows and spreads and manifests just as quickly and with just as much energy. The choice really is ours. Yours. Mine. It isn't about kumbayaing your way through everything and it isn't about being in denial that some things in the world just suck. They do. It's not all "peace, love and new agey hippy stuff". And it certainly isn't about socialism or Dems vs. Repubs or Have's vs. Have Nots. Your side. My side. Their side. Nationalism. Religious extremism. Dogmatizing everything. No. Really, NO!
But it IS about making a conscience choice in every situation possible to breathe through it. To rise above it. To greet it and change it if possible and necessary. To accept it and not take it personally if that is the only option. I would go so far as to say it is our responsibility as members of the human race to stop being sheep and thinking we can't make a difference and remember, REMEMBER that we are the only one's who can.
I awoke inspired a few days ago. (Come to think of it, I awoke inspired today and literally buzzing with the lingering connection of peaceful, loving energy - another story for another time.)
The inspiration I speak of came this past week after a lecture I was privileged to be present for on "Tolerance and Compassion in Islam". Because my mind does not capture everything photographcially, I regret that I cannot recount it all for you with beautiful clarity or talking points to share it with you as meaningfully and eloquently as the speakers and the message deserve. But my passionate wish this morning (and every morning) is that each of you and everyone you know could have been with me at that lecture.
The collective sentiment? It wasn't about religion, per se. It wasn't about worshipping a God, gods, belief or disbelief. It was about compassion. And love. Understanding. Context. Investigation and INSPIRATION. "God is subtle. Dig deeper. Look inside the matter".
A message to live your life using the "golden rule" and instead of making enemies of those you don't know and have never talked or listened to - - get to know them, talk with them, see them as human, love them openly and with wonder and curiousity. Accept them as different, yet still beautiful. Travel. See the world and it's people. Learn about them. Love them. Embrace them. Respectfully give each other space to be. Don't hate them. Don't take their words out of context. Don't take a one liner from the Koran or the Bible or anything and make it into a vehicle for hate or to spread fear or dogma or agendas for power, enslavement, chaos, catastrophy...ugh! It's monstrous how we manage to do this on a worldwide scale.
As a beautiful friend from the same puddle of soul paraphrased it: "in every yesterday, we've become who we are today, and in today through our ACTIONS, not our words, we become who we will be tomorrow...and each of us has the light of God in us. IS God. No matter how unpromising we may be on the outside." Beautiful. Simple. Truth. I tend to think so many upsided down actions come from our collective buy-in that we are "unpromising" on the outside and therefore nothing can be done or changed. It just isn't true, folks. Every single second is an opening for light. For love. For action...
Love, people. Just love...
Each moment is a choice. Each action is a choice. Each reaction is a choice. Each recognition of a wrong to be righted gives us a choice. Action or inaction. Love or hate. Peace or war. Self-righteous anger or the possibility of trying to understand instead. Each act of taking responsibility for ourselves and for each other - choice. My personal recognition is that I want to be a catalyst for some kind of good. Some message of hope. Some form of inspiration. And I realize, at the end of the day, that the only person I can control and that I can change is me. So, if I can leave YOU with any message at all, it is this. You are no different than me. You can choose love, and light, and healing...compassion, understanding. It's a worthy cause. Maybe it is the only cause. And though we can each only change ourselves, if we understand that we are all connected - - we can inspire ourselves and each other to manifest more of all that is good and light in our lives.
(Since I cannot begin to do justice to the messages from the abovementioned lecture, I can at least provide you with the names of the speakers so that you may seek them out on your own if you are curious to know more.)
In order, they were:
- Iman Khalid Latif. (@KLatif on Twitter). Incredible story teller. The first Imam at NYU in 2005 and at Princeton University in 2006. "His work aims to foster dialogue with people of other faiths in order to clarify misconceptions and encourage mutual education." I do believe he is the man for the job. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HUsqo09nng
- Lesley Hazleton. (@accidentaltheo on Twitter). Deeply engaging with a smokey voice and a most intelligently respectful manner, she introduced herself as an "Agnostic Jew". British born and now living in Seattle...She is writing what I believe will be a beautiful and enlightening book called "The First Muslim", a new look at the life of Muhammad (PBH). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y2Or0LlO6g
- Karen Armstrong. (@KarenAnchorite on Twitter). A former nun who has written two books about the experience: "Through the Narrow Gate" about her 7 years in the convent, and "The Spiritual Staircase", about her subsequent spiritual awakening. She won a 2008 TED Prize which gave her the privilege of a WISH. Her wish was to assemble the Charter for Compassion, a document around which leaders can work together for peace. She's basically bringing the Golden Rule back. #thegoldenruleisthenewblack :) - that's an original, ya'll. You can quote me... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJMm4RAwVLo
It was my honor and indeed my privilege to have attended this lecture and to have heard each of you speak. And I have a deepening well of gratitude for a beautiful blues aspiring, nature loving, universe-curious, healing, creative, visionary and deep, deep soul who invited me to share. A gift. I am transformed. And inspired.
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