Chapter Twenty-five What Unites Us?

WHAT UNITES US

For many years after moving to Canada in 1993 I watched CNN religiously lest I miss some important piece of “news”. As I have become increasingly aware of my own energy and that of others I have found it increasingly painful to watch the “news” because the broadcasts contain so much negativity and fear. Indeed, I have now gone so far in the opposite direction that I will only know the world has ended if I look outside one morning and nothing is there.

As such, it is ironic that I was attempting to watch a regularly scheduled non-news program on CBC Sunday night when it was pre-empted by the news that Osama Bin Laden had been killed. As I listened to President Obama make the carefully scripted announcement I attempted to feel something from him. It was the first time in my history that I have heard a president taking credit for killing someone. We were then shown video of people cheering and waving American flags on the streets of Washington DC and I found the whole thing a surreal experience but did not realize why until this morning.

I literally cannot imagine what it was like to lose someone on 9/11. I can only imagine the overwhelming sadness, frustration, anger and feeling of helplessness. I know that many in the US have also lived in fear since that time. I can imagine that the knowledge of Bin Laden’s death served to provide closure for some, a sense of retribution or revenge, a sense of empowerment and/or a sense that justice has been done, at least in part. I did recognize that Bin Laden’s death also provided a galvanizing moment for many in the US, indeed, possibly in the world. What struck me this morning regarding my reaction is that people were galvanized around hate; around having murdered a murderer.

I clearly will always be an idealist in this lifetime. Recognizing that Bin Laden was a murderer; recognizing how incredibly much pain his actions created; recognizing the relief people felt from his death, watching this play out on the news, I realized this morning that what I felt was sadness because people were celebrating hate, were united in hatred.

I hope and I believe the day will come when there is no need for someone like Hitler or Osama Bin Laden. I hope and believe the day will come when all people on the planet will feel and act with respect for one another. I hope and believe the day will come when all people on the planet feel their own worth and, as such, can see nothing other than the value in each and every one of us. I hope and believe the day will come when we are galvanized by the joy in our hearts and the belief that this Earth is, indeed, a sacred space for us all.

From my heart to yours...

To be continued...