Throughout the history of humankind there has always been light and dark, good and bad, growth and destruction within in us. It is the full spectrum of which we are capable as the amazing creations we are. We have the choice about how we want to be, what we want to say or do, and each word and action has an impact on the whole of us. We are necessarily separate, but beautifully connected. We are born to love one another, but we have it in us to hate and hurt others, and we all do at some time or another. Of late it seems we have focused too much on those who have chosen violence in either actions or words, and it is having its horrible impact in us. Hateful words are hypnotically resonating with the fear in many people and it is darkening their choices. We are all so much better than this. It is time to wake up.
Wake up gently. So much of what is going on in the news today is jarring. It is as if we have been shaken up and thrown into a bit of a nightmare state that tells us only one version of the story. It says we need to be angry and afraid, but there is another better option. We need to wake up gently, but surely to knowing that, in spite of what we see on the news, there is so much more good going on than bad. We have the power to add to that by reaching out to one another and doing what we can to comfort, encourage and empower each other to be our best.
We need to show up. There are those among us who are suffering and we can do something about it. It doesn’t have to be a huge gesture; in fact it can be as small as a smile. We just need to remember that we are the answer here. Our willingness to show up and feed those who are hungry, support those who have lost so much, and listen to one another without judgment or fear, is curative. We are entrusted with the medicine that heals the broken hearts; we just need to show up.
Look for what is good. We can look for what is going right with all of us and build on that. Perhaps we need to keep a running list of what we have overcome, learned, and accomplished, to remind us that it is both miraculous and possible. That way we can actually see it, track it, and grow it. When we offer the gift of unconditional regard and the decency of respect to one another, it causes a shift into the light, away from the darkness of confusion and fear. It only takes a split second for that change to happen. As we know, what we look for we will find. So when we look for good, it will show us the way to more good.
Figure out what you can bring to the table. Every day, if we each take a few minutes to consider what good we can bring wherever we are going and to whomever we meet, there is no doubt it will make things better. If we become “compassion in action”, we can give much needed dignity to every person no matter what their means, beliefs, or appearance. We each hold a unique and important piece of the big puzzle of humankind and all life. What we do (or don’t do) makes a difference and sets things in motion.
We have the light and we need to shine it now.