i’m more convinced than ever, though, that the difference between a politician and a statesman is the politician shows us who he or she is…the statesman shows us who we can be.
hearing, reading, watching these people use issues as launch pads for their nastiness and mean spiritedness shows me who they are, and reinforces who i don’t want to be. i can’t imagine seeing some of these candidates on my television and on my home page every day, as they will be if they are elected. their “take-no-prisoners” positions on gay marriage, right to life or right to choose, immigration reform, global economy or protectionism are pitting us against each other on a battlefield, instead of asking us to engage in conversation in a forum of respect for differences. these are important subjects and i’m really glad they’re in the public discourse, regardless of our agreement or disagreement with the positions taken; my concern is with the humanity of the candidate himself or herself and how, if elected, they will navigate us through these waters of conflict. if they have their way, who will we be at the end of their administrations?
the way i am deciding who should be in the white house the next time around is based in substance, not form. the substance of the person: the wisdom of knowing our place in the world as leaders, not occupiers or dictators. how his or her humanity leading to sharing and inclusion is reflected in bringing people together instead of instilling fear and separation. it courageous to reach; it is cowardice to withdraw.
maybe a good way to get started thinking in this direction is to change the name of our “department of defense” to “department of war” – that’s how it started out, and i believe that’s a more accurate reflection of the way we're being told to think. if we're sensitized to what we call it, maybe we won’t be so quick to use it - individually or collectively - reminding us of who we really want to be.
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( 0 / 0 )i’ve been watching the unfolding process of selecting a republican nominee for the 2012 election with moderate interest…i’m not obsessing, but i am following enough to see the platform, intent and practice of the candidates.
i’m one of those independent voters everyone seems to want to register “for real” in their camp. i’m a fiscal conservative and a social liberal – not an uncommon profile for a lot of independents. i do my best to hold myself open to hear all the real issues, leaving out the mudslinging. the mud isn’t so much the issue, as the slinging is. i’m not sure any of us is in a position to really know all the details about the mud. but we know slinging when we see it.
there’s a lot of good stuff about this country – the freedom, the opportunity to pursue happiness, whichever way we define it. watching the republican nomination unfold brings into sharp focus what we can agree with and what we can’t as it relates to freedom and the pursuit of happiness, as individuals and as a culture. and i think that’s what is most appealing about this whole process: it’s asking us to have conversations with ourselves, each other, in groups or one-on-one examining who we are as individuals and as a nation, and how that expression gets translated into a vote.
i continue to listen for the candidate who most reflects my global view of where i believe our country could be culturally, socially and morally in the world. my position of who we are as creations asks for inclusion and support; it reflects sharing and lifting up. it strengthens through respect for all religions, races, sexual persuasions, geographical and cultural histories. my position is one of empowering all others to do their best, to stretch individual and collective limits of creativity, expansion, abundance, kindness – all that love- and courage-based energy. shutting down, shutting off, building walls, and promoting aggression so we’re “protected” (an illusion, in my view) comes from fear, pure and simple.
the choice is always ours.
so when i listen to the candidates, i ask myself if that person is asking me to be afraid? or to be creative? to pull in and protect? or to reach out and expand? the conversations are important in the social discourse in our 24/7 news cycle, and in our quiet moments of self reflection. the results will be taken into the voting booth in november.
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( 3 / 6 )many of us have newspapers or search engines as our home page so when we log onto the web, we get the big headlines of the moment, and then can click around to get details of stories we find important to us. those stories often have little teaser lines, asking us questions or guiding us to “find out more” about whatever the opening headline is.
this kind of on-line media seems to me to be multi-purposed: depending on what we click on, the source learns what our interests are, what teaser lines work, which questions pull us in, what works, what doesn’t. that part of pop culture has long been with us, starting with barkers at carnivals. what interests me the most, however, is another purpose of the media – the need to keep us focused on what’s wrong with us, our society, our culture. what we lack, are missing, should be afraid of. (maybe it sells newspapers, or increases ad revenues…i don’t know.) today’s headline is “housing starts up 9.3% but still the worst year on record.” the first 25% of the article cites the stats and details, then spends the remaining 75% talking about why things are still terrible. we learned a couple weeks ago that the unemployment rate dropped from 9% to 8.6%. it’s been falling steadily since october 2009. that same article hastened to add that it’s still the highest it’s been in the last 30 years.
i find it bewildering that as a culture – a world culture in many cases - we focus on what’s wrong, how we just don’t make the grade; that focus keeps us off-balance with what’s right about us. 91.4% of anything is pretty good. 91.4% of the time we stay on our diets, work within our budgets, get along with our kids, have a good dental checkup, find a parking space in front of the place. if we have a 91.4% day, we’re pretty juiced! it gives us incentive to make that number even better the next day. when we focus on missing the mark 8.6% of the time, it drains our energy, keeps us in the slow motion of defeat, deprives us of forward momentum.
there’s no mystery here. we as human beings are intended to be creative and expanding. and our recent housing and unemployment numbers show that, despite our 24/7 news cycle determined to convince us otherwise. when we stay focused on what’s wrong with us, how we’re not measuring up and not making the grade, we hold the vibration of disappointment, lack and scarcity. the attendant low vibration of condemnation, ridicule, and scorn become our being-ness. and that derision undermines our creative and expansive nature – the downward spiral continues, because as the law of attraction states, "energy attracts like energy." stay focused on what’s lacking, and you continue to lack.
we need to stay on this side of the “but” – and look closely at and celebrate what we’re doing right. feel the lift of congratulations and encouragement for what’s working…then take that feeling, that energy, that force of community momentum and expand it. encouragement goes farther than derision; creativity is seeded in staying open to what’s possible.
if we stay on this side of the “but,” quoting gene kranz, flight director for apollo 13, i believe this will be our finest hour.
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( 2.8 / 30 )one of the things i teach in my workshops is that there is no “no” in the universe. the universe only has “yes” going on: creating, loving, expanding, giving giving giving.
so when we come up against something in our life situations that in our estimation needs a colossal “no” from us, it’s hard to find a “yes” anywhere in our being.
the last 18 months have been quite the ride for my husband and me – travel and business commitments on the work front, simultaneous with contractors and landscapers catching up to long-overdue repairs and improvements on the home front, two lengthy power failures within about eight weeks of each other, a sudden and very serious family illness which still has us all hanging near a telephone…
the holidays are upon us and usually by now i have our party dates set, invitations created, menus drafted (which change about 20 times before lift-off), but all i can think of is “no…not yet…not already.” there’s that word again…
the traditional start of our winter holidays in this country is thanksgiving – my favorite holiday. thanksgiving is all about plenty, and sharing, and appreciation – everything surrounding gratitude for life, family, love and abundance. i love the message of thanksgiving – it’s non-denominational, inclusive. we all have reasons to be thankful – however small or obscured, reasons for love and thanks are everywhere if we stay open to seeing them.
remembering who we are as part of the abundance and creativity of the universe can keep us in that place of gratitude and all things “yes.” every minute of every day is an opportunity to be creative and receptive and expansive…not a “no” in there anywhere. but we don’t always have to be materially big in our “yes” – it can be the big "yes" to generosity of spirit, smiles, humor. it doesn’t have to be big gifts and parties and clutter and food. maybe the big “yes” is to a smaller gathering, or a broadened shopping list with thoughtful but less complicated mementos saying “thank you” to friends, family or patrons for being part of our lives.
as i sit here typing this, i’m thinking of all the ways i can share who i am this holiday season, keeping stress – which is not who i am - out of the equation. there is no “no” in the universe – when we have something coming at us that brings us to “no” – we need to look at where we can say “yes” – because that’s who we are, we are the “yes” of the universe and that’s what the occasion always calls for – that’s the opportunity being offered to us…how can we “yes.”
and that’s the real difference between “no” and “yes.” the difference is us.
love to all,
marie
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( 2.9 / 42 )i often quote pierre teilard de chardin’s famous line: “we’re not human beings having a spiritual experience, we’re spiritual beings having a human experience.” and in my workshops i make the point that when our human experience is too much for us, we make choices and decisions that might seem like a good idea at the time, but then jam us up in ways we hadn’t anticipated or wouldn’t invite.
as i type this, i’m having the human experience of no power after the historic nor-easter snow of 2011. we’ve been without power since last saturday…today is our sixth day…and i must say i’m taking a lot of deep breaths so this doesn’t take a total toll on my sweet disposition.
in my workshops i talk about the have-do-be/be-do-have paradigm. that is, we often think we will be happy/peaceful/joyful/content/fill-in-the-blank if we have the right job/house/mate/amount of money/fill-in-the-blank. we feel we can do (live, experience, offer, share, give, create) everything from that place of being, because we will already have what we desire.
so here i am in the dark, thinking if we can just have power – i will be warm and have light so we don’t have to endure 14 hours of darkness and flashlights, water so i do all i need to do: take a shower, wash the dirty dishes piled in the sink, launder the clothes waiting in the laundry basket, and flush the toilets. i can do my work, practice my piano, and cook for my husband – then i’ll be grateful and joyful and at peace and not stressed.
and i am working hard to keep that have-do-be/be-do-have flipped. i’m consciously staying in a place of appreciation - purposefully being grateful and joyful and at peace – not easy. i’m grateful because i have a roof over my head to shelter me from the elements and lots of layers of warm clothing to keep me warm. we have a generator grinding away on our front porch powering my computer, one lamp and the space heater at my feet so i’m able to do some work and stay warm while i’m doing it. in a little while, i’ll even be able to put some time in on my piano – i’m behind in my lessons. we belong to a terrific and generous gym where i can work out, have some structure to my days and take a hot shower. and i have access to a few wifi locations so i can get my work done online and get a good sandwich and bowl of hot soup at the same time.
i keep thinking about all the people who have it really tough. new mothers with little babies. my hospice patient who needs home health aides and nurses - aides and nurses who need light and warmth to work. my friends with children who are non-verbal and have autism…they just don’t understand why they’re cold and the darkness can’t be fixed by flipping a light switch. they’re all in my prayers and intentions and remind me that feeling sorry for myself goes against all the universe intends for me.
we’re told our power is going to be restored any minute…or we might go through sunday. when i learned of that yesterday, i must admit i was at the edge of meltdown. to live in the 21st century is a blessing to be sure – and to be thrust into the 19th century with no warning or preparation or tools or skills is a gift i believe few of us would request.
this isn’t going to be forever – just a couple more days…or less. in the end, i know i’ll reflect on this time as a gift. but for now, when the power does go on, it’ll do my heart good to hear the toilets flush.
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