"We must be the change we wish to see in the world."--Gandhi
It seems appropriate to be writing about this famous Gandhi quote at this time of year. We have tulips and daffodils all over the yard; the trees have opened their new leaves and they glow green; there are tiny, barely perceptible greens coming up -- lettuces, kales, chard; and the birds are migrating and building nest sites and picking mates.
Nature just does it: there is no contemplation of change, no wondering what change should look like.
And then there are the primaries tomorrow.
And I awoke thinking about how many of us, and in particular those who consider themselves liberals, have such high expectations for November.
We hope -- oh, our hopes are so very high -- we hope that the new President will be our savior, don't we?
He or she will save us from self and other and planet destruction.
As if by magic, a new and perfect alternative fuel will be found and funded.
As if by magic, we will easily and expertly extricate ourselves from Iraq and never, ever get involved anywhere else where we shouldn't be.
And, as if by magic, we won't have to change a single thing about ourselves or our lives, not a single thing that might make us uncomfortable, that might be inconvenient.
Gandhi would disagree.
I think he would say that the President is just a human, that the Presidency is an institution working within institutional restrictions, and furthermore, that this person, whomever he or she is, is only a mirror of ourselves, and if we don't expect more of ourselves, we can't expect more of them.
For just one example: imagine for one moment what would happen if all the people who drive around with anti-war stickers on their cars would STOP DRIVING. Even just 2 days a week. Imagine the kind of message that would send, rather than driving to protest, rather than seeking out new fuels, like addicts looking for a new high.
We don't want to be in Iraq, but we don't want to drill in Alaska or in our backyard and we certainly don't want to stop driving.
You can't have it both ways.
We create the problems but we don't want to be part of the solution.
I am no Bush lover, but one man did not create this situation. We all did over a long period of time.
BE THE CHANGE.
That does not mean politicize the change.
It does not mean mandate or legalize or protest the change.
BE THE CHANGE.
Stop complaining.
Stop mistaking anger for action.
Stop waiting.
Stop expecting.
Stop blaming.
Start Changing.
6 comments:
This is an excellent post. Thank you for this.
While I don't agree with you politically, this is a fabulous post. I'm glad to see a liberal finally say this. I hope your liberal friends heed your advice and start doing rather than just saying. Great post.
Love how you challenge people...yumminess!
Another fantastic post! This is EXACTLY what I've been trying to get across to my family and friends. Do I have your permission to post this (with due credit, of course) to my blog?
As I write this, it is 21 July 2008. In the southern hemisphere, it is the middle of winter - or it is supposed to be. We have had a bleak July, cold and very wet as it should be. Then in the last week we seem to have had Spring. My friend Belinda who lives up the mountain from me has written about it to-day at http://belindas-simple-life.blogspot.com/2008/07/growing-challenge-
One of my fruit trees has blossom on it. Is Spring early? May be a little, may be not.
In the Northern Hemisphere you have the spiritually rejuvenating message of Easter in Spring. We don't have this. Easter comes as we are mid-way through Autumn. But on 6 August just under three weeks from now, we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration. It is 26 days before the official commencement of Spring on Sept 1 but the fruit trees are usually in full flower - an environmental transfiguration of grand proportions.
So I guess I am saying that we in the Land of Oz are in the midst of change. Yet I feel the world is in the midst of change: severe financial and environmental crisis; we have a new government and you will have one next year; a new Prime Minister in Britain with elections not too far away and every probability of change of government as France and Italy have had. Forty years ago the world took a sudden change. What came before 1968 was not the same as what came after. Will 2008 be seen in the same way?
In the meantime, I try to be my subversive self.
Blessings and bliss
Hi! I'm a newbie here and just wanted to say how much I'm enjoying the posts.
I always try to be the "peace I seek in others" and after working on my energy for a while, it's finally just happening. I no longer try - it's just become who I am.
I'm going to go read of your stuff now:)
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