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Tuesday, 27 June 2006 15:16 |
| | Janese Johnson |
Recently, I was involved in a very lively discussion with a small group of diverse individuals.
The subject of the conversation was global affairs and of course the discussion went in the direction of the effects that politics is having on our personal rights and on the environment.
Most of us agreed that these are definitely serious problems that we need to focus on, but the debate came when we tried to agree upon some solutions or next steps that we feel would make a positive direction.
At one point, the discussion was so lively that it took
a diversion to settle it down. The diversion came from a question that
was asked by a very strong, humble and quiet gentleman. The question
was, ?®If there is one thing that you could do to make a difference on
the planet ?? and it would count ?? what would that be??∆
The group seemed to grow with an intensity and passion that could be
felt even more than before because everyone seemed to have an idea on
what they would do and each individual believed their idea was the best
one.
One person said they would change this current administration, along
with the president; someone else said they would release innocent
detainees and stop the wars; another said they would reverse global
warming; and a strong voice came in with how our freedom and rights
were at stake and that was their focus ... on and on, many had ideas
ranging from environment, politics, women??s rights, equality, animal
rights and so on, until one humble voice came in and said what he would
do is open everyone??s heart on the planet to a place of compassion.
The group became quite quiet at that time, and the truth of what he
just said was so profound that we really didn??t have anything left to
say, because we knew that what he said was really true. If everyone has
an open heart on the planet and lives out of compassion, then none of
these atrocities would ever happen.
Most of the suffering that is happening in our world right now seems to
be coming from a place of greed. We could argue that beneath the greed
is fear or anger, but the truth is, the devastation that is happening
on all levels with the environment, wars, the welfare of people and
animals and their rights, are all happening because someone or many
someone??s want something and someone else is preventing that so they
find ways to get what they want.
If we have an open heart and compassionate nature, the desire to have
what we want might still be there, but a willingness to let it go or
find win-win solutions would be more available to our thoughts. Buddha
was a strong advocate for compassion ?? he believed that spiritual
maturity is not possible if we ignore the sufferings of others, whether
physical, mental or emotional.
George Washington Carver was born a slave in 1864. He and his mother
were stolen by a band of slave raiders when he was only an infant. She
was sold to one family, while he was traded in a horse bet to another.
The pain that he endured could have seemed justification for some to be
angry and revengeful, but he chose the road of compassion. He
revolutionalized agriculture in the south and truly made a difference
to so many people on so many levels. What he said was: ?®How far you go
in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with
the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and
strong, because someday in life you will have been all of these.?∆
There are so many stories of great people who have made a difference
through compassion and I believe each and every one of us has touched
someone??s life and made a difference through our compassion.
We can only change our self; we cannot wave a magic wand over the world and give it the heart that we would so love to see.
If each one of us take on the commitment to cultivate our compassion
more with each day, then it could be possible to see a greater and more
widespread change within these times.
As Gandhi says, ?®You must be the change you wish to see in the world.?∆
?ÿ
Janese Johnson has been doing intuitive counseling nationally for more
than 20 years. She may be contacted at janesej-at-bellsouth.net.
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