Joining With Angels

“We are, each of us angels with only one wing: and we can only fly by embracing one another.”
~ Luciano de Crescenzo

We have the ability to be angels in the lives of people that we touch throughout the day. The truth is that life is good and we are all challenged to carry that news to others. An incredible multiplication of energy occurs when this message becomes a part of the mission statement within our various workplaces and organizations. These groups of people become angelic forces for good within the community.

There is an incredible amount of good that we can affect as individuals. Joining with others, networking and cooperating allow our efforts to reach levels that we can never achieve on our own. We move from walking on the solitary path to flying in formation. Light shines in the midst of the darkness through our combined interventions. Today is a good time to seek the counsel of like minded people. It is a good time to enlarge our efforts. It is always a great time to carry the message of kindness, gratefulness and good cheer. Life is good.

Little Things and Little Moments Are Not Little

Our lives seem to be filled with uneventful, little moments that are punctuated with occasional big times. The picture above is one of my Dad, at the grill, enjoying his life. He used to comment about someone having “a big time”. This usually involved an event such as a football tailgate, a party, a vacation or something of the kind. To him, however, it was also about making a big time. Simply cooking out in the back yard was fun and constituted a celebration. All of our little moments can be big times. We need to understand that most of them really are anyway. Whether we acknowledge them or not.

The little moments are so incredibly precious. Watching your kids eating their Cheerios in the morning. Seeing the first signs of autumn coloring the trees. Feeling the calm of night settling in on a warm summer day. Smelling the aroma of steaks on the grill. All of these little moments can slip by if we let them. They will grow in stature if we only notice them. Fully appreciating the moment at hand allows us to see the big picture in perspective. Enlarging the beauty of the here and now encourages gratefulness and cheerfulness. Even in the midst of stress, crisis or great sadness there are good things going on. Friends are lending a hand. Kindnesses are being extended. The sun continues to rise and the tides come in and go out. We can do more than endure and persevere.

We can value what we have in these little moments. We can then begin to appreciate their significance and celebrate their wonder. This is something that we can begin to practice right now. How can I have a big time today? Look around. Do you see it? Try again. Get up and walk around. Find the secret of the little moment. Now there is the beginning of a big time.

Moving On After Tragedy

“Let me arise and open the gate,
to breathe the wild warm air of the heath,
And to let in Love, and to let out Hate,
And anger at living and scorn of Fate,
To let in Life, and to let out Death.”
~ Violet Fane

The weight of past tragedies and misfortunes can bring it’s heaviness into our present lives. It rushes in on anniversaries of times in which we were overcome with sadness, fear, loneliness and despair. We can do little more to stop it than we can alter the course of the tides. It is important to acknowledge such times with some kind of commemoration or celebration. Pretending that they are not a part of our lives can cause real problems for us. Denial is a deadly emotional time bomb.

I met a woman and her children at the Names Project in Washington, DC several years ago. The AIDS quilt was being displayed in it’s entirety for the last time. The massive patchwork stretched from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial. I was overtaken with sadness, grief and confusion as I wandered among it’s many segments. Then I encountered this young mother. She was walking her two sons, age 11 and 13, through the quilt while gently talking about a part of the quilt that commemorated the life of victim after victim of AIDS. I felt comforted by her soft and inspired voice and followed a few steps behind. They came to stop at a piece. She said “Look boys, this was his teddy bear, a picture of his high school graduation, and a stitched note from your Uncle Tommy. Daddy loved him so much.” All three put their arms around each other and wept. They left after a few moments and I stared at the memories of this gay man who had lived a life apart from his wife and children. They had come to acknowledge his death, to grieve and to celebrate. I later saw the mother and boys at the gift shop buying Red Ribbon tee shirts. They were making plans to visit sites in our nation’s capitol. Life, death, joy and sadness were all being experienced. All with an eye on the future.

It is this vision of what can be that puts the past in perspective. We are called to be persistent as well as to be patient with ourselves and others. We are called to live life to its fullest.

Cheerfulness

Cheerfulness is infectious! Jean Paul Richter said "Cheerfulness is the atmosphere in which all things thrive." It is a quality that makes people feel good, comfortable, appreciated and welcomed. There has been a tendency in our world to value seriousness and a kind of glum affect. Frowning and somber faced folks in the workplace are seen as the ones who are hard-at-it and doing the job that is before them. They might be unapproachable but, at the very least, are making their way and earning their pay. It is certainly not much fun to be around them. The truth is that this attitude and the people who carry it are easily forgettable. We remember the ones who bring brightness, happiness and exuberance.

Cheerful people leave a lasting impact. We have listened to the many descriptions of Senator Edward Kennedy recently. His great body of work, successes and failings have been paraded before us since his death. The recollections that have been repeated the most often though are of his great cheerfulness and boisterous charm. The joy, mirth and laughter that follow a cheerful soul bring gifts of optimism and a sort of sunrise to the spirit of others. We have a choice. We can be determined to be cheerful or we can be restrained, unremarkable and boring.

It is no more difficult to be cheerful and upbeat than it is to be somber and intense. It does require a certain discipline. We are required to access happinesses that we have experienced (or are experiencing) and allow them to radiate from our very being. It asks that we smile genuinely, offer a hearty handshake, give a pat on the back, make eye contact and listen. This discipline must become a habit. We need to practice it. Follow the directives of the lyrics of the old song that says "Live, love, laugh and be happy." Your life will be more satisfying. You will enjoy better health. You will be remembered warmly.

The Torch Is Passed

Senator Edward M. Kennedy lost his battle with cancer today. He was one who fought many battles in life. He was never afraid to lose. This was a courageous man, not without flaws, not without brokenness and not without mistakes. He was resilient and enduring despite the criticism of others. Senator Kennedy was a champion of the poor, the downtrodden and the hopeless. He believed that the government should take care of those who are unable to care for themselves. He was a voice for the voiceless. His example is one that should lead us on pathways of kindness and benevolence. We are never too busy or too old to make a difference or to affect change. It is our responsibility to stand up for our beliefs and to be agents of good. The torch is passed.

Change The World

My best friend and I made the decision to change the world. We were ten years old and thought that adults had no idea how beautiful and interesting it all was. We were concerned about people who were hungry when we had plenty. We thought that war was a fun game but a stupid way to settle arguments. We believed that everyone should have a comfortable home. Fixing those things did not seem unreasonable to us. The reality of mending it all was something different.

The truth is that the world is simply beautiful. The diversity of human beings and the environment is stunning. Each of us has a unique place and purpose. However, there is hunger, thirst, homelessness and war. It is our job to participate in solving those problems. We are called to add our individual voices and effort to bring an end to hopelessness and desperation. There is no excuse for ignoring the plight of the marginalized and oppressed. The most beautiful part of this life is observing and participating in the process of lending a hand to those in need. Our path through the world is a part of it.

Now is the time to change things. This does not happen in grand gestures but in our ongoing daily effort to make a difference. The joy that flows from such action will alter the course of history. We have the power to change the world today.

Acts of Kindness and The Sconestone

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, and honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around” ~ Leo Buscaglia

Much of our energy is devoted to what we can accomplish or gain in our lives. The success that we achieve in these areas, however, does not begin to measure up to the kindnesses that we do along the way. The human spirit is lifted only when we love each other, promote goodness, and act generously. Why, then, would we put such acts on the back burner?

Our inattention to that which is most important comes from a lack of focus and perspective. We are so busy with our daily grind that we lose track. It is really a matter of making the right choice. Choose to hurry on to whatever-it-is that is driving you…or choose to stop, wait and generously bestow your kindness.

A designer from Scotland has created a wonderful reminder of our mission to be kind and to do good. He fashioned the Sconestone. This small stone carving was inspired by ancient Scottish Neolithic orbs. It evolved as a symbol of wisdom and became a call to kindness. The rock group Runrig will launch the Sconestone on an international journey at it’s live concert on August 29th, 2009. The stone will pass to it’s first keeper who is entrusted with it for seven days. During that time the Keeper of the Sconestone is expected to do at least one act of kindness, encourage friends to touch it and pledge to an act of kindness and to then pass the stone on to person who will honor the purpose of the journey. They are also asked to write about the experience on the sconestone.com website. What a great idea!

Perhaps your efforts and the wave of enthusiasm for the Sconestone will remind of what is really important. Remember that it is the small things that make a difference. The ripples can change the contour of the day for everyone on the planet.