During the Vietnam war a man stood in front of the White House every evening holding a single candle. He stayed there until the candle burned all the way down. He did this to show his protest against the war. One evening a reporter asked him how he thought doing this would change the war or the administration. He told the reporter that he didn’t do it to change them, he did it so they didn’t change him.
Perhaps some of you have heard this story before as I had. Coming across it again, it struck me as rather appropriate in these current times.
We are being shown and living in a world, that even with the atrocities that are taking place there are people who will not let this change the tenderness of their heart.
A Different Lens
The lens that I choose to look through allows me to witness the unveiling of fervent compassion, humanitarianism, courage and resilience.
As Martin Luther King so eloquently said, “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.”
I am choosing to keep these words in the forefront of my mind, along with the man holding the candle, to remember the importance of staying internally aligned so as not to let my heart be hardened.
So as not to let fear grab hold and lead the way.
So as not to let anger grab hold and lead the way.
So as not to let judgment grab hold and lead the way.
So as not to let impulsivity grab hold and lead the way.
So as not to let hate grab hold and lead the way.
Any one of those has the capacity to create misalignment in our inner world ultimately adding to the already massive misalignment in the outer world.
It’s the inner misalignment that will change us.
Eye Of The Storm
The eye of the storm lives within each and every one of us – no matter what we are experiencing. And we all know the eye is where the calm is.
Where the stillness is.
Where the quiet is.
Where we find the ability to navigate any crisis with greater clarity.
With greater ease.
With greater intention.
With greater integrity.
With greater resolve.
With greater courage.
From this state we can better affect one to affect all indirectly.
A Massive Change
Clearly there is a massive and necessary change taking place on the planet. When things get so out of alignment, what has been is no longer sustainable and a new way becomes insistent to find its way to the surface.
Breaking through all the years of a foundation built heavily on separation, greed, power and control takes time to get to true inclusion, generosity, empowerment and autonomy.
What I choose to believe above all else is we are moving in that direction and we will get there. How long will it take? I have no idea. Will it happen in my lifetime? Your lifetime? I have no idea and I sure as hell hope so.
The only thing I’m certain of is that it’s up to each of us to do our part to help a new way continue breaking through and even perhaps, speed it up.
What We Can Do
We can limit our ego’s chatter so we hear the still small voice within guiding us toward a higher good for all.
We can move into the eye of the storm to meet others with that calm.
We can embrace a state of grace for ourselves and pass it on.
We can saturate ourselves and the world with love.
And remember, love is not actually a thing that is there or not there.
It is who we are at the core.
Even when it isn’t felt or can’t be seen with the body’s eyes – it is inside.
Even when it is deeply hidden from one’s own awareness because fear is leading the way – it is inside.
It is never not in us!
And with our love, we can certainly serve each other in this world through our unique and diverse collaboration. Like millions of threads crossing in different directions, yet weaving one beautiful and strong universal tapestry together.
