Reading the newspaper headlines, I sometimes have to take a break and clear my head – how about you? An old newspaper saying, “If it bleeds, it leads,” is all too apparent. Thankfully, there are thousands of people who are quietly going about their good deeds, to make the world a better place for all.
“Let there be Peace on Earth, and Let It Begin with Me,” the famous song of Peace, keeps going through my mind. You’ve probably heard it dozens of times, but maybe you aren’t familiar with its background.
It’s 61 years old and written by a husband and wife songwriting team, Sy Miller and Jill Jackson. The song is about their dream for Peace in the world. It’s been sung by singers as diverse as Gladys Knight and Harry Connick Jr. People can enjoy the more religious original version, or tweak it to appeal to those who prefer gender equality and a more secular version.
When they created the song they brought together 180 teenagers from different religions, races, economic and cultural backgrounds in a week-long, California mountain retreat.1 What a terrific message. Not only did they have the creativity to write the melodic prayer, and share their hope for Peace with the next generation – but engaging all of those teenagers at once, well, that was also an act of courage : )
Now, getting back to the headlines. Are you still confused and amazed by the United States election? It’s clear that the hallways of power have been deaf to many, and they’re mad as hell. The Unheard have spoken. What if they are not speaking for your values, and are in power now? We are hearing all kinds of comments from the media, at the gas pump and in our homes. Some may not speak to your Truth, as you see it. It’s painful to watch them celebrate. What can we do to prevent a different group of voices from feeling disenfranchised?
Then there’s the talk of hate. Hate has always sullied our existence. However, now it seems pervasive. What was perhaps politically incorrect and hidden before, now has had the curtains ripped open for all to see. The sludge has to be cleared away. It’s time to work on major renovations. Can it be in our United States, the president-elect is one of the leaders actually parroting such a vile message? Am I having a nightmare? This can’t be reality. We went from finally being an open enough nation to elect a black president for 8 years – to this?
Why was it such a surprise? Was it arrogance in not being able to see beyond the media’s own beliefs? Was it laziness in not digging deep enough to get below the surface to discover that people just might believe it’s none of the polls business how they voted? Another act of defiance? There’s been lots of comments about Trump’s ability to run the country. If nothing else, he was smart enough to hire the right people. They clearly knew how to strategically win – even if the popular vote was opposed.
These issues of bigotry and intolerance go far beyond the United States. Anti-semitism hasn’t been seen like this since the days of Hitler. Being Anti-Jewish is now thinly disguised as Anti-Israel. Israel is accused of being an Apartheid state, and Zionism is compared to Nazism. Reality is being distorted in a heinous fashion – and too often going unchallenged under the guise of “free speech.” From United States college campuses to the United Nations, the horrific misrepresentations take on an unhampered life of their own. Hate crimes are on the rise and spray-painted swastikas have become part of this holiday’s decorations.
We also have to ask with regard to Israel – why do the Palestinians hate us, and what can we do to bridge the gap? Expanding settlements is one obvious clue. I know there are plenty of valid responses countering this consideration. For example, how can we negotiate with people who don’t claim we have a right to exist? There are those willing to talk and listen to try to understand each other’s perspectives – it’s just harder to find them. I believe giving up the objective of Peace is not a viable option. Period.
Our world has always had fear as part of our underbelly – that shapeless, unattractive flab that we can’t seem to quite get rid of. Now it seems like its screaming look at me – and it’s so ugly! It pains me to hear my teenage son come home from high school worried his Muslim friend is scared of being deported. Or our college-educated Mexican friends, who have earned the American dream now worry – will their children be safe? What’s going to happen to friends and family? I’m concerned about my son, and how to prepare him for the aggressive assertions of the BDS (Boycott, Divest and Sanction) movement against Israel on campuses across the United States. We have to educate ourselves and see the situation with our eyes wide-open.
Spiritual teachers say what we see is always due to our perceptions – wow, it looks like it’s time for spring cleaning.
There’s always been, and always will be, more than one side to the story. Real effort has to be put into learning how to listen to all sides. First, we have to bring Peace and understanding to ourselves. You can’t give away what you don’t have.
What if the volcanic eruptions of hatred, bigotry, racism, misogyny, and homophobic intolerance stopped, and a new path of acceptance and celebration of everyone’s differences were appreciated?
Can we be the change that sees the hate, and tries to heal the wounds in 2017?
Does the situation seem bad because we don’t often hear of the good people who are working on Peace? Perhaps we don’t notice, because we are all caught up in our own overwhelming world. Everyone seems to be doing too much. When do we have time to think, read, and explore deeper beyond the headlines? There are grass-roots people who work very hard to bring Peace. They make slow, yet profound contributions, one heart at a time.
Spiritual teachers say our world is undergoing a dramatic shift in the human species – a turning point. I hope in the coming year, darkness will fade. I trust that the light will continue to shine on our problems, so together we can seek and find the solutions. Every child deserves to live in Peace. As Ghandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” May we all find Peace within ourselves, so we can share it with others. I leave you with 3 words: Peace, Shalom and Salaam.
Thanks for Joining Me on My Journey!
1 http://www.jan-leemusic.com/Site/History.html