I support a Peaceful Revolution and a Rise of the Non-Profits

“Love like your life depends on it, because it does” –Michael Franti

I often sit and think about the state of the world, the state of our country. So much of what we do is based on fear. Some countries arrest or shoot “trespassers” who cross their borders, while in our country we have people who complain that our financial problems stem from the fact that we don’t. Both arise from the fear of losing control, trying to control the uncontrollable. What is a border anyways? They are only found on maps we create, by flags that we fly, and by languages that we speak. The land does not recognize borders, which leads me to believe they are not a natural part of life. Are they not lines created out of fear? Made to keep “those” humans out, because their culture may challenge our ideals, because they may teach our children something we didn’t want them to? To protect us from the possibility that those who cross may not return the same compassion towards our lives, our happiness? The antidote for fear is always love and compassion. If we love other humans enough to let them be free and happy where they wish, the divide weakens. On an internal scale, what borders of fear do we create in our own lives? How can we choose love over fear? How can we choose to feel instead of protect? We can strive to learn to walk without blindfolds on our feet, and walls around our hearts.

It seems to me that the years leading up to now have been spent building up the “establishment”, creating borders, dividing and claiming. It has propelled the world forward in many ways, some needed, some not so. I believe that the role of my generation is to begin the breaking down of the “establishment”. I look around, and I see and feel the pain of those my age. I do not know if the same thing happened for the last generation, but there is a commonality I have noticed in mine. Within a few years, we seem to all be hitting a stage of great grief and fear; there is a sudden rush of questions. What do I do with my life? Why am I not where I thought I would be by now? Where is my guidance? Am I supposed to do what I love, or do what I am told is necessary? Can I allow myself to take a risk and follow my passion? Will I fail? Should I just focus on monetary gain? Does anyone really care about me? Is life always going to be like this? How will it get better? Why am I here? Do I matter? I am no stranger to this. I have to remind myself often that YES, we ALL matter. There is a story that Clarissa Pinkola Estes shares in her book Women Who Run with the Wolves that goes:

An old man is dying, and calls his people to his side. He gives a short, sturdy stick to each of his many offspring, wives, and relatives."Break the stick," he instructs them. With some effort, they all snap their sticks in half.

"This is how it is when a soul is alone and without anyone. They can be easily broken."

The old man next gives each of his kin another stick, and says, "This is how I would like you to live after I pass. Put your sticks together in bundles of twos and threes. Now, break these bundles in half."

No one can break the sticks when there are two or more in a bundle. The old man smiles."We are strong when we stand with another soul. When we are with others, we cannot be broken."

What comes up for me with this story, is my goal to be a part of letting others know they are not alone, that they cannot be broken. I don’t believe it is any of our jobs to “fix” what is happening in another’s life. What I do believe is it is our responsibility to stand together, to reach out to each other with compassion, to share our common fears and sadness. Our isolation tends to make us forget we are connected, we all feel these things. Once again, fear keeps us from reaching across these borders. In The Book of Awakening Mark Nepo says “What we reach for may be different, but what makes us reach is the same”. Both fear and ego, love and spirit, have the ability to make us reach. I believe he is referring to the latter here, but the other exists as well. It exists in all of us; no one is devoid of fear. In our isolation we see things as unusual, different, worse than “theirs”. Solitude is necessary in life, we must be able to look within, and be aware. But somewhere along the way we lose sight of our oneness. We begin to believe our feelings are not valid, that another person’s feelings are not valid.

The truth is, they are all valid, and every single one of us feels all of them. They are not strange, different, worse than anyone else’s. But we lock them up. We decide they are bad, they can’t be shared. The longer they stay incarcerated within us, the “darker” the thoughts we surround them with become. The thoughts we attach to them can become too much, and we learn to tune them out. But we can’t turn them off, we are just turning down the volume, and they become background music to our lives. They live in our minds, in the dis-ease of our bodies, in our addictions, and in our fear. They dictate what we do, and we often don’t even hear the perpetual tape that is playing in our heads and running our lives.

Now what would happen if we pressed rewind? What if we return to the “infant” that began it all? And if we acknowledge the validity of that feeling? The effects would trickle through our lives. Maybe it is sadness and we let our tears fall as if rain from the sky, and seep into the ground, ending our internal drought. The love we deprived ourselves through isolation and fear, the love we protected ourselves from, can fill our hearts. For me, this brings up a prayer, again from Women Who Run with the Wolves, that says:

“Shatter my heart so a new room can be created for a Limitless Love”

The experience of pressing rewind and returning safely to a life more open to love leaves me with a question. Now wouldn’t it be something if I had felt that when it happened? Out of feeling whatever it is we wish so hard not to feel, we experience the simplicity of life. Each time we create a bigger room, where the gifts of life can come to visit us. Each time, we widen the borders. My hope is for us to put a doorway into our rooms, so our fellow humans can visit. In these rooms, instead of there being a flat screen TV that they may want, I wish for others to find a want for their own bigger room that can also fit more love, and a doorway for people to enter just as they did. I wish for them to see the big picture, and feel the warmth of love.

Now the reasons I mention a Peaceful Revolution and a Rise of the Non-Profits are this. We live in a place full of pressure towards doing what is “acceptable”. Acceptable to whom I still have not quite figured out, but I am familiar with the what. We are told we have to do what pays the bills, what the teachers tell us in school, what our family agrees we should. Most of all we are told not to do what brings up fear in others. Don’t question authority, don’t try things differently, don’t speak up, and don’t you dare love someone who has done “unacceptable” things. We are told we are the only ones who dare to ask questions and be different. Not true! I would like for us to take our power back. Money doesn’t have to be something that we all stress to obtain, that tells us what we have to do, and what we aren’t allowed to. And as for the “authorities” who reinforce this way of thinking, I refuse to be a slave to your fears!

Money can be used for good, why do we need so much profit? I think we would all profit more from making a living doing what we love, and helping others. A peaceful revolution can be put in motion through non profits and community centers. It can also move forward through simple acts of love, being aware, facing fear, reaching out, and looking within. I am talking about us regaining our power as people to move the world in the ways we wish to. Now I understand these are very real fears. We need a place to live, to feed our children. We also need to give our souls a place to live, and feed our children’s souls as well as ours. The intention to change is what moves us forward. The actions can be big or small. You can donate your money, time, love, compassion, or prayers. You can help build a non-profit or stand on a sidewalk with a ‘free hugs’ sign. The idea behind many non-profit organizations is to provide a needed service for the community. We all need love.

Putting love above money is not communism; it is not stupidity, the poor man’s ideals, the dreams of a hippie, unrealistic goals of a naive child, or delusions of an insane person. It is a very real hope that is within us; One that we are taught to categorize, judge, and fear. Just as we are taught to see the “establishment” as money, power, the way to happiness. To me, the “establishment” is anything we have created out of fear and for greed. It is what has been formed to stifle another’s soul, keep others from asking questions, and attempt to motivate and manipulate through fear. It is what creates toxic work environments, overflowing prisons and jails, homelessness, stress dis-eases, and isolation from each other. We must learn to recognize the “establishment” in ourselves as well as in the outer world. We can move forward in dissolving its power over us with love. Why not? Scared?