…we’ve been waiting for.
When I read this meditation this morning, first stated by a Hopi elder, it stopped me in my tracks. Amid the noise of our lives, the unrest around the globe, the seeming lack of consciousness by those who represent us, the cares of the world often feel way too big to handle.
On a personal level, I talked with a friend last night who, after days of dealing with the hospital system threw her hands up in the air–where is the humanity? Nurses and doctors, rushed and overwhelmed by too little time and exhaustion (nurses required to work double shifts regularly and expected to be caring individuals for those we love? really?) often doing what they could but not having the time or energy to really connect with the patient. (Of course there are plenty who do but her experience left her feeling so helpless). If we don’t have advocates by our side we don’t always know if we’ll get what we need when we’re the most vulnerable.
Our governor here in Wisconsin continues to push an agenda fueled by greed with no regard for the true needs of the people and our beautiful land. We rest our heads in our collective hands, frustrated and overwhelmed–what is there to do?
And yet…we have to begin somewhere. I have to believe that this is all part of the “great turning”, going to the deepest depth before we begin to rise again. I have to believe this, sometimes, just to avoid going crazy.
We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
I believe that we do have a chance for a new era of kindness. Either that or someone’s going to blow up the world and that’ll be it. But I choose to believe. And I think that it’ll start with the smallest acts–each one adding a little spark to the fire. Every time we touch one another, every time we listen–really listen–to one another and truly hear each others’ needs. Every time we find a small way to make a difference, if even to only a few people, we add fuel to this tiny fire.
It isn’t just about the doing. It’s about the listening. I have a friend who reminds me of the saying “We’re not human ‘doings’, we’re human ‘beings’. It is essential to really listen and notice what it is we need to do and it may be something as simple as touching one another or picking up a gallon of milk for someone else. It’s about asking one another when we need help and then being able to receive the help that others are willing to give us. It’s about recognizing the kindness in others and in ourselves. It’s about forgiving others and ourselves. But we have to start somewhere, or we’ll all go crazy.
I can hear my politically active friends now saying “ah, Margaret, if only it were that simple.” But I truly believe that it’s these little acts, the tiny but fierce groups, that are going to lead the change we need to see in the world. They’re already out there and we need them now more than ever. And if I’m wrong, what is there to lose? What is there to lose in firming up our relationships with one another? What is wrong with promoting the smallest acts of kindness?
I am trying to listen more and feel the layers of help that the Universe sends to me. It’s evidenced in the faces of my friends. It’s there in the smiles of people I’ve never met. But it’s there. And that’s where it starts. I am in awe of all of the people I know who step up to help others, who give so much of themselves. I bow to the grassroots groups who lead the cry for change. That’s got to be where it starts.
We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
One Response
I have never been sorry, or disappointed when I lend a hand or try to bring someone ‘up’ when they are down. Kindness is a beautiful gift. There is so much negativity in our world, and there are still some of us who don’t give up in trying to see the positive side and try to make a difference. You are right. We must believe there is still kindness and goodness in people, or we would go crazy.
I have a painted sign that sits on top of my computer monitor that says. ‘Kind words can be short, but their echoes truly endless’. Words and deeds of kindness can truly brighten someone’s day.
Hugs, my friend!