Poem by John Roedel:
"In the face of War, I am so small - yet, love is so big I can’t make the world be peaceful I can’t stall tanks from roaring down streets I can’t prevent children from having to hide in bunkers I can’t convince the news to stop turning war into a video game I can’t silence the sound of bombs tearing neighbourhoods apart I can’t transform a guided missile into a bouquet of flowers I can’t make a warmonger have an ounce of empathy I can’t convince ambassadors to quit playing truth or dare I can’t deflect a sniper’s bullet from turning a wife into a widow I can’t stave off a country from being reduced to ash and to rubble I can’t do any of that The only thing I can do is to love the next person I encounter without any strings or conditions to love my neighbour so fearlessly that it causes a ripple that stretches from one horizon to the next I can’t force peace upon the world but I can become a force of peace in the world because sometimes all it takes is a candle, a single candlelit in the darkness to start a movement “Lord, make me a candle of comfort in this world let me burn with peace”
- My yoga teacher Nyk Danu - Yoga Misfits sent this poem out tonight in a thoughtful email that also contained a metta loving kindness meditation.
When feeling overwhelmed and hopeless at the state of the world, please keep giving love. Keep being kind to the people you meet out on the streets, especially those whom are rude and unkind. It often comes from a place of fear and pain. Do not match that energy.
I can feel the global tensions just as I could when COVID hit. Energy and vibrations (vibes) are real things. Our hearts literally beat, creating a vibration that stems from our bodies. I know I need to focus on calming myself. The peace so many of us seek starts within. Practice meditation. Practice sending out love and kindness. Pray.
Show this world that love is who we are. If someone is rude, and you’re in a place to talk, try genuinely asking in a calm even concerned tone: ‘Are you okay?’ You might be surprised by how they react. If too much comes up, you can always refer them to your local crisis line.
Your tone and vibe are key here. People can feel when we’re not genuine or we’re beating with anger or whatever energy. Animals know, but I think many humans have lost or perhaps ignore this intuitive ability.
Or, try simply taking a deep slow breath, in and out, and then try to respond in a genuine and calm gentle tone: ‘I hope you can find some moments of peace in your day.’
If you can’t do either of these, that’s okay, at the very least take some deep breaths and try to not react back. I know not reacting is far from simple, let alone responding with kindness and compassion.
We can’t control others. Only ourselves. We can choose to find and nurture our inner peace so that we’re not adding to the stress of the world as we interact with it but instead we’re interacting from our inner sense of calm, kindness and love. When feeling helpless, this is within all of our power to do. It is a skill we can all work on and hone.
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Just a reminder that for me the act of writing, re-reading, editing (and repeat) until I get to the point where I feel comfortable pressing ‘send’ or ‘post’, is cathartic. Often what I share here is written for me, not for you. When I share something like this, it's to remind me how I want to live my life. Please take what you need from my Blogs and leave the rest. Everyone’s journey is their own.
Art: This Little Light of Mine by Amy Frank (2019)
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