There is fighting and then there is fighting. The difference is fighting against or fighting for. When fighting against something you can easily lose sight of the positive change you want to create. Fighting against is short sighted. It does not move toward positive change.
Movements that come from interbeing, from love for the more beautiful world, have a vision of something bigger than those in the movement. This kind of movement resists the culture of separation and violence. They are not consumed with stopping this or that. In fact, they are focused on and committed to the vision of what's possible. They have the perspective of connectivity with that future. They are already living it.
When we see ourselves in other people and in all of creation, we will resist the destroying of nature and of indigenous cultures and of the lives of others. For that destruction ultimately destroys us as well. Do you just stand by when your life or your family are threatened? So the, how can we just stand by when it happens to others - for we are all connected.
All of life is like a spider's web. What happens to any part of the web effects the rest of the web. It is that sense of connection that we have lost.
But how do we resist that which threatens us? Doesn't that threat come from and "enemy"? Don't we need to use violence to combat it? The terms "enemy" and "combat" come tripping off our toungue so quickly, don't they?
"Broadly enough interpreted, violence - that which 'violates' another person's boundaries - is unavoidable." (1) This is not the signal for "war", however. Resistance like peaceful protests and work stoppages (strikes) may result in inconveniences when traffic is tied up or garbage isn't collected. Some people will have their boundaries violated in that way. It is the disruption of the status quo that ultimaely results in change. The persistent resistance to the destruction of nature and peoples, with the vision of a world of connectiveness, can create that more beautiful world we believe is possible.
Consider how "tree huggers" have bodily stood in the way of clearing the forests or how boycotts of animal fur have protected nature. Think of how the boycotting of "blood diamonds" has improved the lives of slave laborers in diamond pits and how arms embargoes limit countries which violate human rights. These are resistance that create the change we envision.
So, no, we don't sit idly by when there are threats to the web of life. AND we don't hate and kill We come together with love and purpose to strengthen the web. Gandhi and Martin Luther Kind, Jr., worked to strengthen the web in this way.
What would you be willing to do to create that more beautiful world? Who would you joing hands with to resist the destruction of the web of life?
(1) The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know Is Possible, by Charles Eisenstein
Today's Daily Dozen to-do List:
- Cut up plastic six-pack rings. Place them in the proper trash/recycle receptacle so small animals don't get caught in them.
- Make nutritional treats for dogs and cats, and give them to friends. Make extra for animal shelters.
- Notify authorities immediately about pets left in hot cars.
- Be sure to eliminate any standing water around your home. Change water in birdbaths daily. It is mosquito season.
- Slow down on curves on winding roads in areas frequented by deer. Each year, 500,000 deer are killed and 29,000 people are injured in deer-vehicle collisions. Deer roam at dawn, dusk, and the first few hours of darkness.
- Plant flowers around a school, church, park or other public area.
- Organize a clean-up project. Choose an area that needs attention and collect debris, abandoned items, and other materials that have collected in that area.
- Make quilts, baby clothes, scarves, hats, etc. for low income people.
- Send a letter to some former teachers, letting them know the difference they made in your life.
- Organize a clothing drive for a shelter.
- Organize a blood drive. Provide juice and water, cookies and snacks for the donors. Make it a party!
- Hold a teddy bear drive and donate the bears to police or fire departments for traumatized children.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment