UNITY

It's Christmas Day: a happy time in many homes, yet so many of us are burdened by worries over the coming years.  We are going through (yet another) difficult time in our country's history, with our economy in crisis, millions without health care, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and our planet's ecology at risk.  This past year, there has been much heat, anger and rhetoric, as we went through a long and bruising process to elect a new President.  The passions and fears raised in those months were mirrored even in this serene space, "flaming" many candle groups and creating discussions in this forum (see related post: "offensive language.")
 
Maybe that's how it should be.  But now, as we are starting a new year and perhaps a more sober period in our history, please let's all recognize that for us -- the United States of America and for this whole world -- to overcome the great challenges of our time, we must find a way to bridge some of our differences, to work with each other, and to unite behind a vision that we can all share: a vision of a peaceful world, a world where our children and coming generations can grow up safely and happily.  I invite you to light candles under "UNITY" (as was suggested by some of the folks in the other thread); I also invite your comments and suggestions on how we can all be "bridges" and reach out to others.
 
With peace and love,
Beverin

Dear Beverin,
 
Thank you for your thoughtful reflection on our current situation. Unity is needed more than ever. As I said in the other thread, it should start at home. We need to look at our family relationships and see what needs mending. Another step is to examine our relationships with neighbors, people at work and in other places where we meet people of different backgrounds. What do we know about their culture, their beliefs and their way of viewing the world? How willing are we to learn and find points of agreement, things we can work on together? How can we expect countries that have been at odds with each other for centuries to work together, if we can't manage it in our own surroundings? We can pray for unity, but also take the small steps required to get started.
 
I will light a unity candle,
 
Much love,
Edda

Peace and joy!

That is so true Edda, Peace begins in our hearts and with those nearest to us, in every sense.
 
Jude

Love is the only way

Dear Beverin,
Welcome to the forum, also thank you so much for such an interesting topic. I will light a candle under "unity". Over the last few weeks I have gone for peace at home with no verbal challenges, just simply trying to adjust under changes which initially I felt were pushing me out, for example moving where I write and talk to people  upstairs. However I've since found peace in my new corner, even the other person seems a lot calmer now too.  I can see a bit of good coming out of the financial crisis as hopefully it will get people thinking about credit ect.; but the other implications are difficult, about jobs being lost and savings pensions ect under threat. There is a peaceful movement over here called "women in black" but it is more a way of standing in memory and a sort of silent protest against war. In Coronation Street the tv soap here, we have dear Emily inviting her neighbour over for Christmas, and offering her to cook a traditional Polish Christmas dinner. I guess even in soaps we can find inspiration (I have Polish and  Russian neighbours).
It is good coming together to do something. Where I lived the neighbours got together to do petitions, road blockages, writing letters and attending council meetings en masse to get road parking rules and costs changed. We succeeded!
love to all
Gina and Jackory
 

You are so right Gina! Together we do make a difference, and our own individual lights shining are like the ripples in a pond, these little lights join up all over the world eventually, to make one big light.
 
Jude

Love is the only way

Thank you Beverin, for your thoughtful post.
All so true . . . I truly have hope for change, and I feel that it has already begun . . . not soon enough for so many who suffer through war and starvation and terrorism . . . we must be patient and with conscious effort to our task, help to perpetuate this change, but I believe and hope and pray that it is coming.
This has been posted before . . .
I post it again . . .
 
"It's better to light just one little candle
Than to stumble in the dark
Better far that you light just one little candle
All you need's a tiny spark

If we'd all say a prayer that the world would be free
The wonderful dawn on the new day we'll see
And if everyone lit just one little candle
What a bright world this would be

(Let's all light one little candle
Why stumble on in the dark)

When the day is dark and dreary
And your way is hard to find
Don't let your heart be weary
Just keep this thought in mind

(It is better to light just one little candle
Than to stumble in the dark
Better far to light just one little candle
All you need's a tiny spark)

If we'd all say a prayer that the world would be free
The wonderful dawn of the new day we'll see
And if everyone lit just one little candle
What a bright world this would be

What a bright world this would be"
(by Joseph Maloy Roach)
 
. . .  what a bright world this will be!
with love . . .
sparrow

everything counts... ♥

BEVERIN, I WILL LIGHT A CANDLE FOR UNITY. MAY WE ALL LOVE EVERYONE.