Fall
makes me nostalgic. It is a time of reflection, and I always look
forward to time spent with close friends and family during the holidays. An election year fall also makes me
grateful to be an American. As a
witness - every day on the news - to the fear and hatred and violence suffered
by people living in the Middle East, I thank God for the many blessings in my
life.
There
are many things I would change and many suggestions I have for improvement in
our government, social systems, medical care and environmental policies. But I
would not trade being an American for anything in the world.
I am
proud of who we are as a people. As many of you know, I hurt my hip a few
months ago and although I’m much better, I’m still limping a bit. And what I’ve noticed is that people who do not
know me from Adam - without
exception – go out of their way to help. Doors are opened and held for me,
offers to carry my groceries are frequent, and I sense a caring and kindness of
heart in each person I meet.
I see
people helping the elderly, kids and animals all the time. We have an
almost parental manner in the way in which we look after one another. And in
times of crisis, we are one. No questions asked. We elevate our collective consciousness, lovingly and peacefully caring for one another. We realize who we are
meant to be and we respond to a higher purpose. It may take a crisis for us to recognize what a great people we are, but really, it is happening
in small ways every day.
So if
we can embrace and love one another so naturally and easily when we are faced
with a challenge, or when someone needs our help, why then do we just as easily
forget all that and become so irrational when it comes to politics? American politics are seething. Our ability to discuss and learn from one another in this forum has
vanished. It just doesn’t make sense.
While I
have very strong political convictions, I will not allow hate to enter my
heart. Hate is simply a
manifestation of fear. And if fear is the opposite of Love, then how can
filling our consciousness with hate possibly serve the higher good of us all?
As Americans, we have the freedom to
disagree and not be tortured or murdered for our beliefs. We have the right to
carry on a political discourse, to protest or to become activists for any cause
we wish. This is a freedom that I cherish, and yet I am often afraid to express
a political opinion for fear that even my oldest friends and closest family
members will become enraged, demeaning and downright abusive if they disagree
with me.
You
can’t fight darkness, but you can turn on a light. The darkness that pervades
our politics and undermines its process cannot be changed when we are consumed with hate and anger. It can only change with a shift from fear to Love in each
of our hearts. One person at a time.
Awake from the collective nightmare we have created, and turn on your
own light. Our great country deserves equally great Americans.
May
God bless our President, Governor Romney and all the brave souls who are
willing to serve our nation as elected officials. Please light their way.
Michael
Jackson said it well….
“I’m
starting with the man in the mirror,
I’m
asking him to change his ways.
And
no message could have been any clearer...
If
you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and…Make a
change!”
