Dear Dana,
Albert Einstein said, "The world is a dangerous place to live not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."
My prayers, faith, love, and best wishes for your entire family, friends and community are being sent every day.
We pray for all people to live in peace, throughout the entire Middle East, the entire world - the gang infested streets in American Cities, African villages suffering at the hands of people who practice terror and genocide, people who still, in this day and age, live as slaves, and families who pass on violence and hatred to their children.
And, of course, I pray for peace for all people in Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq, North Korea, and all countries and cities around the globe who suffer due to ancient hatred, mistaken beliefs, and violence.
We can not continue to deal with violence through violence.
The world must tire of the bloodshed - together - in UNITY.
I do not pretend to know all of the answers, yet I know that it is time to evolve as a human race. . .The only real Truth I know today is that I have been guided to co-create an opportunity for thousands of people to join together for the Peace Experiment and that good will come out of it.
This is my and OUR part in the collective healing.
Might we find one approach to healing our violent history? This history exists in all cultures; all countries are tarnished by past ignorance and prejudice, and yet, we have seen progress - not perfection - but progress, yes.
I realize that even the United States is still fraught with violence, prejudice, drugs, crime, and poverty.
We have a lot to clean-up in our own backyards, in our own hearts and souls, in our own homes and neighborhoods. In business and politics, in churches and in families.
It will take many approaches; personal choices, diplomacy, assistance, prayer, time, and education.
More importantly, it will take a lot more people around the world coming together and taking a stand for non-violence and equality.
It will mean that each of us, as individuals, makes a choice, today, here and now, to end whatever violence we particpate in - in thought, in language, and in action.
It will take more everyday people like myself, more people than fill our governments and armies, more people exercising their right to vote, especially when so much blood was shed to give them that right, and yet, so few exercise it.
In the long run, sometimes the best we can each do is to deepen the peace in our own hearts, take supreme responsibility for our own individual healing and to grow as beautiful examples to our children.
To teach our children a different way, to teach them to love all people, regardless of the color of their skin, the language they speak, the religions they practice, or where they were born.
I can only imagine what it is like to grow up in the Middle East today.
And, it is in my imagination that the Peace Experiment was born. Not because others are not involved in similar efforts around the globe, but because it was something that I COULD DO.
I do believe in our power and ability to change and to heal.
I have faith in this and know that in the meantime, so many people suffer every day from the ridiculous nature of hatred, fear, and prejudice. It is not what our Creator wants.
And whether we call that Creator God, Yaweh, Allah, Krishna, (I could go on and on here) in the long run, it is ridiculous to think that from whom we are created us all wants us to kill "his" creations, in "his" name.
We are all created from the same source, and although we may call this source by different names, and practice different types of worship, we also can live in respect and honor of one another - of all people - men, women and children born as brothers and sisters in one race - the HUMAN RACE.
We can CHOOSE to love and celebrate one another.
We can decide to be civil, more than civil; we can CHOOSE to love each other as we love our own parents and children.
This is a quality of love that does not see differences, but rather sees all humans as equal and deserving of dignity, hope and opportunities.
I know that ancient hatred and violence exists, and I know that maybe, just maybe, if we begin to shift in our consciousness and we do things a little differently today, and the next day, and the next day, and the day after, and the next year, and the next decade, and the next, and we continue to join together, as Americans, Canadians, Africans, Palestinians, Israelis, Lebanese, Jordanians, Saudis, Iranians, South Africans, Nigerians, Danish, Irish, Scottish, Australians, Greeks, Italians, French, Germans, Swedes, and all of the other nationalities who have joined in the Power of Our Way Peace Experiment, we can teach our next generation a better way.
A WAY of Peace and celebration of our diverse cultures and religions.
A WAY to explore our individuality yet be part of the collective ONENESS.
A WAY to co-exist, in safety and honor.
A WAY to learn from one another and be proud of our multi-cultures and religions.
A WAY to FORGIVE, HEAL, LOVE, HONOR, RESPECT, and see the TRUTH that we are all joined in SPIRIT and when we kill one, we kill a little piece in us all.
This is The Power of Our Way and we begin every day, together, in faith, and hope and commitment, that each and every one of us will do our part today.
And, moment to moment, we can choose to be an example to ourselves, our families, our friends, our co-workers, our children and all of the future generations who will be living in the world that we are creating today.
We can move beyond this illusion of separateness, inequality, and fear and join together, in concert, to BE PEACE TODAY.
I love you and honor you for reaching out and sharing in such honesty and courage.
Peace BE with you and all others throughout the world, Anita
To all Power of My Way experiment comunity:
This has been a wonderful experiment.
Having present a single word every day, to make me aware of my attitude and softly has made a change.
I am open to great changes.
Thanks to all for sharing.
Posted by: Ingrid | August 27, 2006 at 05:47 PM
Dear Dana,
Thank you for your awesome post.
I understand your feelings because I too was born in the war, lived my childhood in the shelters, felt the pain and the fear, saw the chaos, the desperation and the turmoil.
It is a great time to be PEACE and radiate outwards what we want. Challenges are stepping stones to a richer life, a brighter perspective and a vivid understanding.
Let us all hold one intention of awakening to our gentle beingness and remind ourselves of the abundance, the joy and love that are always surrounding us. We are all created from the Light of God. Let us drop the illusion that we are separate and that there is not enough for everyone. It is our nature to live peacefully with our neighbors, cherishing every moment of our miraculous lives and expressing our beautiful innate qualities.
Feel the feeling of Peace and imagine the whole world living in harmony as one community. Peace is who we all are.
Sending you lots of peace, strength, joy and love!
Posted by: Sharbel | August 10, 2006 at 02:02 AM