|
There has been so much chatter on social media, news reports and panicked news feeds about what is transpiring in our country and the world abroad. It is the news of death, dying, suffering and hopelessness. The attitude and vibration of the masses is of the highest fear and uncertainty that I have seen in my lifetime (and let’s just say, this is not my first rodeo). What could happen if we changed the channel? The leaders of light and those who vibrate on a different level have learned that when we "turn the dial” we can adjust the very sounds we hear! Just like reaching out and moving to a favorite station on the radio we can focus on what moves us from fear to hope, despair and suffering to a place of gratitude and peace. Who knew? Glad you asked. Gandhi and Mother Teresa understood this process and they changed the lives of countless human beings and the world. They are forever endeared in history as leaders of love and compassion. They are true change agents. Both of them had intense focus on what was possible and the relentless belief that anything less than change was simply not an option. “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Gandhi was an Indian, experiencing racial prejudice at a time not unlike where we are today. Murders, assassinations, racial discrimination and war. His focus was on love and compassion. His action was one of passive resistance with his eyes always on peace. Had this not been his aim, his outcome – we would probably never have known him. He was committed, he was not deterred by argument, opinion or panic. With wars raging on around him, his mission was clear. He chose peace. It was his commitment and love that changed the world as we know it. We can learn so much without our rationalizations, without regurgitating the media’s opinions or agenda remembering that for the media, peace does not sell ad space. But if each of us chooses to shift and change the conversation and see what is beautiful around us, verbalizing our gratitude, if only half of our conversations incorporated a new perspective, what changes might take place? Could we too change our world, if only for a moment? What would happen if those moments stacked upon one another and for an hour we were all at peace or at a new level of hope? Could we be the Gandhi in the NOW of our lives? We can also take a look at one of the world’s greatest angels – Mother Teresa. She too saw atrocities, poverty, discrimination and pain. Rather than succumbing to the darkness of what was swirling around her and the world she made possibilities her life's work. To change the focus and to demand love and peace for all who suffer. Her mission was to be the voice “for the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone." She had critics, haters who reported their opinions on her purpose, how she fed the poor, healed the sick. Vilifying her they got more media attention, they got royalties for books, movies and yet, we do not know their names.The stamp left on the world for all who felt her touch, the hands of those she held while they died making sure they felt loved…Mother Teresa changed the dial for all eternity. "Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies" These changes occurred not because they ignored what was happening, Gandhi and Mother Teresa refused to accept that this was how it would all end. The opinions of others, the media and the critics did not stop them from being the change the world needed. They espoused peace, they loved and continued to stack proof over and over proving that it is not HOW we change the world but WHO we need to be each and every moment in the face of doubt that changes everything. So I pose the question – WHO can you be on social media, at home and with your friends? Who would you need to be to help them see the beauty in each breath, to find the sacred value in those who are different in color, religion or political views? What would your world experience in the face of choosing hope, gratitude and peace? Imagine what would have happened if Gandhi and Mother Teresa had listened to the media and the critics, if they succumbed to the channel of pain and suffering, if they had given up hope. We can join the white noise of the masses or we can become the sound of hope. In the face of fear and panic I encourage you to stack peace, love and hope. The dial is the only thing we have control over. Just Imagine... "Be the change you wish to see in the world”
0 Comments
It was somewhere between the snooze button and the final blast of my alarm when a thought started bouncing around like bb's in a boxcar. It was hidden in my internal dialog. You know, the conversation you have with your id, ego, monkey brain, multiple personalities? Yes, all of your internal tribe communing less than quietly …. there was an internal argument going on. What does the statement “in my humble opinion” truly mean? My heart immediately chimed in “it is never humble when prefaced this way”, my warrior ego slammed the table of my head “damn straight – humble doesn’t need to be from the heart, it needs to smack down the listener to get results”. When I quieted the committee (around minute three of ten allotted snooze minutes) I realized I have never liked the phrase….”in my humble opinion”. It is up there with "Constructive Criticism". Asking all the participants why it triggered me revealed my issue with anyone who needs to preface a statement declaring their humility. My BS radar alarm goes off and I instantly reject the notion that the speaker is anything resembling humble. So what would a better conversation sound like? What is the truth, my truth, a truth … can a voice be humble?
Is there value in my voice? The warrior goddess spoke up – “YES! There is value in insight, your honesty, your heart. Cut through the darkness and open space for light” My heart gently and quietly proclaimed – “pride makes us artificial, humility makes us real - so be real". This is the collective voices of my intuition, my experience and my opinions shared with a tribe of people who are seeking insight and searing truth communicated from a space of gratitude and love. No apologies, no judgment, mercy and forgiveness seasoned with irreverent humor, candid clarity and laughter … lots and lots of laughter. Although reticent when challenged with blogging and the statement “you should get your voice out there…” I was ultra-sensitive to the abundance of white noise, clamoring dialog and wasted space already invading the energy around me. I had to own my intention and know that this space would rise above the fray, add substantial value and be a gift to those that read it – even possibly affecting change for someone's life. Will I always hit that mark? Odds on favorite, probably not – but if I can change one life, lessen one person’s pain, make someone choose to stack their life differently, it will be worth it. In fact, it may be everything. I believe in ripple effects. And in the world I live in I want to be the stone that moves the water, to create the rings, to skip the surface and move into infinity. As my voice grows stronger, I assure you it will always be hell bent and heartfelt. So it begins, “In my Heartfelt Opinion” I.M.H.O. |
RSS Feed