Magical, Great Creator!

It’s another gray, overcast morning in the valley, and temperatures will remain in the 30’s throughout the day.  There’s some snow in the forecast for this week, but probably not before we train at our Outdoor Discovery Schools (ODS) snowshoe site tomorrow morning.

I’m rooting for snow; in part, so we can start running our snowshoing tours at the Montshire Museum.

 

Songs can be powerful expressions of emotions and beliefs.  I saw a video yesterday of John Lennon’s “Imagine.”  What a powerful, simple song.  I don’t think I’ve ever met anybody who didn’t like “Imagine.”

(Of course, I haven’t been around much at all.  In fact, I see that as one of my greatest weaknesses – my lack of diverse experiences.)

My point is, so many people seem moved by the song.

It’s like this phrase from another song that I’ve been constantly repeating to myself the last couple weeks – “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”

It seems an ugly contradiction – to love these songs with their loving, inclusive ideas; yet, to not support, encourage, and stand with any person or group that lives and promotes these ideals; and, to even go as far as to hate, oppress, and deny them, and anyone, equal rights.

It’s the worst hypocrisy to sing about Love, but live Hate.

I saw a phrase the other day that said, “If your religion requires you to hate anybody, you need a new religion.”

Yeah.  That.

But, whether it’s the religion you practice, or the beliefs with which you were raised or have learned and adopted – when they operate on hate and discrimination, you are part of the problem.

I realize that I am part of the problem.  I get uncomfortable when I am dealing with people I perceive as different from me; and, with my limited experience, that happens more often than I would like to admit.

When we dream of living in a peaceful world, we have to get brave enough to know that we – You and Me – have the capacity to Love Everybody.  It’s true.  Everybody – even people who scare you, who disagree with you, or are different from you and whom you don’t understand.  You can love them anyway, and know that you are more like them than unalike.

If we want a peaceful world, we need to create our part; by making the effort to find the love beneath, that connects us All.

 

A Prompt for your consideration:

Dear One, have you ever been to a nursery?  I don’t know that I have, or if I’ve just seen them depicted in so many TV shows and films.

But, imagine seeing a collection of new born babies.  That’s how we all start – new to the world, all love, totally dependent on others, no hate.

We all begin that way.  That is our essence.

As you grew, you faced challenges, struggled, got hurt, and learned to be afraid.  So did I.  So do others.

Meditate, Dear One, on loving-compassion, with a focus on remembering that place of innocence and All-Love where we All begin.

You have to be more brave than you ever thought yourself possible, but Love and Peace can begin with you.

 

Imagine, Dear One, Peace on Earth.  With your help and guidance, My Loving Spirits!