Today I have a collection of observations and questions.
Did you catch 60 Minutes on Sunday with the Obamas interview? It was so refreshing to see these two genuinely sincere andhappy people who are full of humility and purpose. See it here. Our nation will be in the good hands of Barack and Michelle Obama and we the people. How do you want to use your special abilities to make a positive difference for our nation and planet?
The Department of Agriculture reported a 50% increase of children who don’t have enough to eat in America in 2007. This was before the financial mess we are in now. What kind of nation let’s their children go hungry? Do we need a change of priorities?
Did your read that James Dobson’s group Focus on the Family is having to lay off over 200 of their employees because they spent so much money in support of Prop 8 in California? These people who work for this organization now have lost their income, their benefits and have no severance pay. What about this organization’s family of workers and their families, don’t they matter? Is it ok for this prejudicial ideology and the arrogance of its leadership to have such disregard for their own family?
I used to live in Santa Barbara and know the area where the fire is very well from my many bike rides. This is an incredibly beautiful area with many amazing homes. I feel the suffering and loss of those people as I do for the Dobson people. When fellow humans suffer it seems we all suffer. What do you think, can you feel the suffering too? Human compassion is so needed today everywhere on the planet.
While running my substance abuse treatment group last night at work I was struck by the members and all the pain they had as such a young age. It is easy to see why people choose to try to drown out their suffering with alcohol or drugs. I explored with them ways to be more aware, more accepting and more forgiving of themselves. Yes they may have behaved very poorly when under the influence yet I thinking how we all need more forgiveness and acceptance in our lives. What do you need to forgive about your past? How can you be more accepting of yourself today, tomorrow and in 2009?
The world we live in is so full of such wonder even in the midst of chaos, loss and suffering. Take a moment today to remember what you have and pause to feel gratitude. This will lighten whatever load you may be carrying in your heart.