Waging Peace and Love

What if we taught children to care more about people than about things?

In the west, we do not often practice what we preach on those colourful posters in our children's classrooms. We share when we feel like it -- when it benefits our image or creates a positive buzz; when we have extra we don't really need anyway. We respect others... of similar socioeconomic background or higher. We give up playing fair when a ridiculous profit can be made. We create waste; buy things with hideous packaging and and throw things away we are bored with.

As children grow older they can't help but follow this course. No one wants to get into trouble. No one wants to lose out to others scrambling for supremacy. To not chase the trophy is to roll over and bare your neck to the wolves. The tribe does not respect stragglers and even justifies it if they are lost. We cannot afford to show weakness.

While it is natural to value the best performers, our winners, we do not consider ruthlessness a fault. Look at how we turn our heads to athletes using performance enhancing drugs. Leveling the playing field these days means giving them all drugs! But we talk the talk... we say what we wish were true (and behave to protect our immediate interests). We say that we try. We try soooo hard, it's just that we really need the money right now.

It has become increasingly clear that it is acceptable to step over others to reach the top, for the end usually justifies the means , we are accountable to the shareholders, the institution, our pocketbook, or the faceless company: an entity with a thousand faces and no heart.

Power is corrupting. But what is it? The ability to control others? To purchase any item one desires? To have others look at you and want what you have? To prove that you have more value than others, to prove someone else wrong... We know that we cannot go on like this, that we are polluting our environment and our souls.

What if instead of teaching children to look up at the stars, "aim high and don't look back", we taught them to look down? Look and see the long line of children of the earth holding hands and traveling along... What if we taught them that the most important thing was to look back and make sure everyone was ok.

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I am angry and upset today. It is my birthday tomorrow and I really wanted to have my patio done but it's been delayed. I want it. I've worked hard for it. I deserve it... And then I watched a couple of videos made by care Canada and I felt deeply embarrassed. My rant has been a directed at myself. Forgive me. You are not the problem, I am. And I will change. Right now.

I'm seeing people that need some help. I think we should start with some of the poorest women. Women, says Care Canada are the developing world's most valuable, and most untapped, natural resource.

Why should we focus on women in the developing world? Educate a woman, and you educate her community. For each extra year of school a girl undertakes, her family income increases up to 20%? Did you know that two-thirds of the people in the world considered "illiterate" are girls and women? (from the Care Canada website)

These videos made by Care Canada will inspire you:




Beautiful.




Amazing.

An oldie but a goodie:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”~ Marianne Williamson