Your Neighbor is Your Other Self

YOUR NEIGHBOR IS YOUR OTHER
SELF DWELLING BEHIND A WALL.
IN UNDERSTANDING,
ALL WALLS SHALL FALL DOWN.

WHO KNOWS BUT THAT YOUR
NEIGHBOR IS YOUR BETTER SELF
WEARING ANOTHER BODY?

SEE THAT YOU WOULD LOVE HIM
AS YOU WOULD LOVE YOURSELF.

~ Kahlil Gibran

Of Note: The Arab Spring has taken its time in Syria, but yesterday the Syrian Vice-president called for a transition to democracy after four decades of power by the ruling family. At long last, the demonstrators are having an impact. In the process 1,600 civilians and 350 members of the security forces have been killed. The VP al-Sharaa said during the televised two-day conference in Damascus: "I hope that we will reach transition to a pluralistic democratic state that enjoys equality for all citizens who participate in forming their own shining future." At the same time he warned that future demonstrations should cease. Senior opposition leaders and others boycotted the meeting saying that the overture was insincere while other opposition members joined the discussion, which surprisingly included a series of intellectuals slamming the government for using such a heavy hand with protesters. It was a rare step in a country which does not tolerate dissent and potentially a move in the right direction. Even with the threats by the vice-president, the demonstrators have vowed to carry on, and their energy will eventually carry the day. As mentioned in a previous blog when the Arab Spring began, the Assads might consider packing their bags.

(The quote above was taken from Jesus, The Son of Man: His Words and His Deeds as Told and Recorded by Those Who Knew Him.)

No One Lands Where They Aim

NO ONE LANDS
WHERE THEY AIM,
NOT EVEN GOD.

~ Mark Nepo

Of Note: Our god is an imperfect Being. We know that by looking at His creations. He is evolving just as we are but at a much higher turn of the spiral. Because of Him, we know that all things are possible and can thus aspire to greater and greater thoughts. Onward and upward always . . . at nearly 100 degrees today, that is all there is to say.

The Source in Africa

THROUGHOUT THE TEN
REGIONS OF THE UNIVERSE,
THERE IS NO PLACE WHERE
THE SOURCE IS NOT.

~ Hakuin

Of Note: We know that one place the Source has arrived for an extended visit is Africa. This blog has long touted the growth of that long-sleeping continent. But it is sleeping no more. Six of the ten fastest growing economies in the last decade were in sub-Saharan Africa. It is predicted that in the next five years, Africa will outpace its Asian counterparts. That is good news for the rest of the world. For one, 60% of the world's arable yet uncultivated land is in Africa. Thus, it could be a future breadbasket not only for itself but the world. Vision coupled with action is taking the place of handouts. Some entrenched aid bureaucracies may not like a developed Africa because it bursts their bubble. But Africans themselves like it, many of whom are upwardly mobile and are excited about their new-found ability to create. All eyes will be on Africa in the next decade as it emerges like a Phoenix from the ashes. International corporations and others are taking note. For example, Campbell Soup is leaving Russia and heading to Africa for its next wave of expansion. Those who don't pay attention will most likely be left in the dust.

Service is the Rent We Pay

SERVICE IS THE RENT WE PAY FOR
THE PRIVILEGE OF LIVING ON THIS EARTH.
IT IS THE VERY PURPOSE OF LIFE,
AND NOT SOMETHING WE
DO IN OUR SPARE TIME.

~ Shirley Chisholm

Of Note: Ever heard of Rinderpest? No? That is not surprising because most people in the developed world haven't either. Rinderpest is an animal disease, whose name means "cattle plague" in German. It has been blamed for speeding the fall of the Roman Empire, aiding the conquests of the mighty Genghis Khan while hindering those of Charlemagne, and opened the way for the French and Russian revolutions while at the same time keeping Africa from flourishing. The good news this week is that the United Nations has declared it eradicated. It is only the second disease in history next to smallpox to claim that distinction. The New York Times said: "The long but little-known campaign to conquer Rinderpest is a tribute to the skill and bravery of big animal veterinarians, who fought the disease in remote and sometimes war-torn areas across stretches of Africa bigger than Europe, in the Arabian desert and on the Mongolian steppes." This tale of conquest and service begun in the late 1940's is so incredible it will undoubtedly be a movie someday. Until then, we can just thank the heroes of this story in a little prayer of gratitude as they move on to other scourges facing men and beasts.

As We Act, So We Become

AS A PERSON ACTS,
SO SHE BECOMES IN LIFE.
THOSE WHO DO GOOD
BECOME GOOD . . .

SO WE ARE SAID TO BE
WHAT OUR DESIRE IS.
AS OUR DESIRE IS,
SO IS OUR WILL.
AS OUR WILL IS,
SO ARE OUR ACTS.

AS WE ACT,
SO WE BECOME.

~ The Upanishads

Of Note: Along with the esteemed Nobel Prize goes authority to the recipient. We Americans often yawn at the influence of the prize, but in Peru it most likely swayed an election. There many believe that the left-leaning Ollanta Humala, a former army officer, beat out Keiko Fujimori because of the endorsement of Mario Vargas, Peru's Nobel Prize winning writer. Fujimori is the child of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, who is currently imprisoned for human rights violations. It took years to get him there, so Peruvians may not have wanted to try another Fujimori any time soon. Former leftist Mr. Humala for his part had to distance himself from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Thus, while neither was a primo pick, it may be true that the Vargas voice tipped the scales. Wonder if future political influence is a qualifying category when selecting a Nobel Prize winner?

Becoming Alive!

DON'T ASK WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS.
ASK WHAT MAKES YOU COME ALIVE
AND GO OUT AND DO IT.
BECAUSE WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS
IS PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME ALIVE.

~ Howard Thurman

Of Note: Being alive is very important for our health. Without it, we slog along aimlessly in a dance of doing, doing without being, being. We are not talking happiness here--rather ALIVENESS. Most everyone has had the experience at some point. All we have to do is go back to that instance and recreate it again. This time, though, let's immortalize it in our hearts so that the spark of ALIVENESS shines forth on a daily basis. It might take 28 days for the habit of ALIVENESS to set in but the whole universe will be grateful for our efforts.

They are Their Own Leaders

FREEDOM, BY DEFINITION,
IS PEOPLE REALIZING THAT
THEY ARE THERE OWN LEADERS.

~ Diane Nash

Of Note: The founding fathers could never have imagined a United States of America that stretched from sea to shining sea and included 50 states. Neither would they have considered it possible for the President to sign a piece of legislation from across the ocean, which was then enacted into law. But that's how far we've come in 235 years. Recently, President Obama auto-signed an extension of the Patriot Act from a French resort town. Literally, he wrote a document authorizing a phone call from his hotel to the White House, where an auto-pen signed his name to the official legislation. Not many citizens even knew an auto-pen existed for such eventualities but it was recently disclosed that the contraption has been around since Dwight D. Eisenhower. Thing is, John Q. Public has been kept in the dark all these years. Seems nothing can be kept secret any longer. In the coming New Age when we can all communicate telepathically, there will be no secrets. That will definitely shine a light in all the dark corners of the planet.