This post is offered as a personal reflection on the civil unrest we are experiencing, and a call for each of us to look at the man in the mirror. We must look within ourselves as we bear witness to the suffering and struggle surrounding us at this time in history. We must find how each of us can contribute to the healing in our country and the world.
The Pain
For months we have been coping with the pain of a coronavirus pandemic bringing disruption to our lives, and presenting us with financial, health and emotional challenges that we would have found unimaginable six months ago.
Now, our pain has now been compounded. For years we have seen inequalities of our world and the disproportionate suffering that results. In the United States, these have now culminated in the horrendous murder of George Floyd and many other atrocities. Rage and grief is pouring out into the streets in the form of violence-filled riots and destruction of property throughout our nation.
We hear representatives from both ends of the political spectrum talking about what politicians should do to heal the pervasiveness of hatred and racism that has existed for so long within our country. We hear CEOs and other business leaders on various TV shows talking about what needs to be done within the business community to help combat the inequalities. But what about us? How can the ordinary man, woman and child respond in a way that contributes to the healing process?
The Dream of Peace
All of us wish for and dream of peace in this world. It is my belief that what the world needs right now to achieve this peace is not so much a change of politics, but a change in our hearts and lives. Michael Jackson’s song, Man in the Mirror, tells us, “If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, and then make a change.” It is our individual deep-seated attitudes and day-to-day caring for one another that will determine our ability to live together and thrive together on our planet.
Mahatma Gandhi famously said, “you must be the change you want to see in the world.” More recently, Dr. Michael Beckwith points out, “We, as individuals, must all take responsibility for the biases, prejudices—even aggression—that we experience in our own minds and hearts on a daily basis if we truly want to see changes in our world
We often feel like we are small and insignificant when it comes to such important issues as peace in our country and in the world. On the contrary, I believe that now is the perfect time for each one of us to take the first step toward leading the way toward a more peaceful world. We do that by first becoming more peaceful ourselves, releasing judgments and blame, and instead, turning our hearts to love.
Five Steps We Can All Take To Heal Our Country and the World
Here are five steps that each of us can take to contribute to the healing in our country and the world by becoming the change we want to see in the world:
- Be Mindful: Start each day with a statement of intention such as, “I will always be mindful of how I am showing up in the world every minute of every day. I will be mindful of every thought I think, every word I speak and every action I take. The conscious choice of my own thoughts and actions will be my contribution to a kinder, more peaceful world.
- Practice acts of kindness: A simple but powerful way to shape the impact you have on the world during these frightening times is to build conscious acts of kindness into your daily life.
- Practice forgiveness: Remember the quote from Buddha which reminds us, “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intention of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.”
- Surround yourself with positive, like-minded people and nurture those relationships. Especially, let them know you appreciate and respect them.
- Consciously bring forth your highest potential in order to make your highest contribution to the world. Keep expanding your knowledge and wisdom. Keep growing as a person. Remember, life has only one exam—a final exam that asks two questions: How much did you love? How much did you learn and grow?
Be happy, be healthy, be safe!
Donna