A Job for You...

Do you watch the news, or perhaps, don’t watch the news anymore because you see all the pain, and violence, and terrible things happening, nasty weather, earthquakes.   OMG it’s just too much... the world is going to hell in a handbasket (whatever that means).  You are probably tired of me telling you that these are the birth pangs of a world we would really want to live in.  Well I have a job for you.   It has a couple of parts to it.  First of all your job is to stay positive.  Allow yourself to settle into a peaceful acceptance of what is and believe with all your heart that it is change for the better.  
And the second part of your job is to do something about it.   Now I totally understand we are not all Martin Luther King Junior, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Jesus, any of the other known heroes.   But you have opinions, ideas.  I think a lot of people understand what is going on with politics.  What I want you to do is think about what you would do with a particular world/national/local/community/personal challenge.  Think about what could be done to improve or change that situation using love, fairness, honesty, unity as your basis for change.  Then think about all of the people you influence.  Your spouse, your friend, your sibling, your child, your grandchild.   Break the subject to them.  Tell them there are solutions to the worlds’ problems that don’t involve hate/violence/exploitation.  If you have thought of a solution tell them this is what you would do.   You may not have the courage or the ability to do it yourself.   Ask them to come up with their own ideas. You may be the one that sparks the fire within a child that comes up with the solution to hunger, energy, peace...   It doesn’t matter if it was your idea, if you were not the one to bring it about.  The earth holds your energy....  The world knows.....
A quote from Wilfred A. Peterson that I used in 1962 during a high school graduation speech.  “As you throw the weight of your influence on the side of the good, the true and the beautiful, your life will go on in others, bigger, finer, nobler, than you ever dared to be...” 

there is much to distract us...

And Sparrowhawk said to the master.  “But Master, I do not see love in the world.  I still see war and fighting and poverty and sickness.”  The master smiled and put his hand on young Sparrowhawk’s head.   “My child do you feel loved?” 
“Yes master, I feel loved by you and by God.” 
“Sparrowhawk, did you see the woman with the child?  Was she not showing much love for the child?”
“Yes Master.”
“And did you not see, the friends and the physicians helping and healing the ones who were hurt in the violence?” 
“Yes Master.”
“Sometimes, Sparrowhawk, We cannot see the love around us and in action because there is much to distract us.   It is this love that is drawing people together.  And it is this that will show people how much better the ways of love and unity are than war and greed.  Do not be afraid.  Do not be afraid of the storms and earthquakes.  Mother earth is taking care of herself.  You can only change yourself.   If you wish peace than be peace, If you wish healing and enough for all, in whatever way you can, heal yourself and be content with what you have and share what you can.  Be the love and you will see it returned to you.”
“Yes Master..”  Sparrowhawk was smiling again.  “I love you Master”
“I love you too Sparrowhawk.”