|
The Universe Within by Gwen Randall Young
Author Kurt Vonnegut once said that what made being live
almost worthwhile for him was the saints he met in all
walks of life. He was referring to those people who behave
decently in an indecent society. I reflected upon this
thought, and immediately felt discomfort at the many aspects
of our society that are, indeed, indecent. A society based
on consumerism, one that does not honour, nearly enough,
Earth and her resources, one that allows the exploitation
of the less powerful…cannot deny its indecent aspects.
Few of us would consider ourselves saintly, yet I am always
deeply touched to be the recipient of, or an observer of
an unselfish act of kindness or compassion. For some, such
acts seem to be second nature: the ones who stop to help
a motorist in distress, who run to assist someone who has
fallen on the ice, and insist on driving them home, who
will volunteer, give of their time, and anticipate the
needs of others. These are people who can forget about
their busy schedule, where they were going or what they
had planned, if a fellow human is in need. These are the
ones who know this truth: in the end, the only significant
statistic will be how we treated those we met along the
path.
It is so easy to get caught up in the story that is our
life, and to forget about all the other people out there.
Yet, every single one is a fellow traveller on our journey
through life. They may be disguised as strangers, foreigners
in different lands, members of diverse cultures. They may
appear as toddlers, teenagers or seniors, they may be healthy
or ill, wealthy or poor, educated or not. Behind the windows
that are their eyes, is a soul that knows no age or status.
If we are on this earth at the same time, we are all in
the same ‘class’. We each contribute to the
collective experience we are sharing. Every act of compassion
improves our collective climate. Even thinking compassionately
makes a difference. Withholding judgment, criticism, blame
and negative talk prevents toxic emissions from leaking
into the collective energy field. That seems pretty decent.
Really listening to what others are wanting us to hear
and making sincere connections, rather than polarizing
or trivializing, feels like a decent thing to do.
Maybe it is also about taking the time to care; showing
our caring. What if every time we said, “How are
you?” or “How’s it going?” we looked
into the eyes of the person, and communicated that we really
wanted to know? How much healthier our society would be
if we all truly did care about one another. When people
lived in tribes, they all watched out for one another.
Now that our communities are so big - both geographically
and electronically - the warmth of human connection and
caring is often lost. Hallmark and e-cards can say it,
but nothing can match the energy exchange that happens
with eye contact, a smile and the human touch.
Yes, there are those among us who surely are saints. Maybe
when one has enough decency to his or her credit, saintliness
evolves. In the meantime, saying we are not saints, after
all, cannot be an excuse for indecency. We are accountable
to ourselves, and maybe to all others, when the day comes
for a big debriefing on the other side of the veil. Moreover,
if enough of us choose decency, every day, and in every
action, that will surely be reflected in our society.
Gwen Randall-Young is a psychotherapist and author
of Dancing Soul: The Voice of Spirit Evolving. She has
also written Echoes Through Time: A Message of Healing
for Men, Baby Soul: A Blessing of Spirit, and produced
audiocassettes entitled, After Recess: A Calming Meditation
for the Elementary School Classroom, Healing the Past:
A Meditation for Wholeness, and A World of Kindness:
Experiencing Personal and Global Harmony gwendall@shaw.ca.
 Top
|
|
