Voting, Outcomes and Rest

To all my friends working so hard:

Yes, voting is important tomorrow. Community must be visible to itself and responsible to itself.
You did your best , all you could do, working for the outcome you desire.

And, Tomorrow is another working day.
We vote everyday with our being and our voices.
We can do no other as we see what is, and know what we want to be.
That we are bound together with the desire to see the world become a place in which our children can run free and strong.

We all want to be Happy, Peaceful, Safe, Well and Free.
We crave equanimity and fun.

Attachment to outcomes leads to suffering.
What ever happens, take a rest, and be ready.

No one event changes everything.
Nothing is ever quite finished, and there is always the next thing.

My prayer is the work of our head, hands, and heart leads us, to be  the people, who create the community we want to live in, for ourselves, all beings and our universe.

I thank you all.
No matter the outcome.
Tomorrow and the day after, we still need to be strong, to speak out and up, to accompany, to support, to educate, to advocate, to learn, to play,

and Rest.
We need to rest.
and Laugh Out Loud.

Be ready.

You have done enough for today.

Let go, rest and greet tomorrow's outcomes with curiosity and joy, that we have another day to create and play with each other.
And go out and love some more!

"The real radical is a person who has a vision and is willing to do those things that will bring reality closer to that vision" Bayard Rustin

"Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed unless it is faced"

 James Baldwin

Forgiveness/Conflict Resolution- RKJ version

Matthew 18:15-17 King James Version (KJV)

15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

Matthew 18:15-17 Revised Standard Version (RSV)

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

RKJ version

If we have a problem between us- let us listen to each other and open our hearts to each other that we may be friends.
If we cannot hear each other- lets us ask friends who can help us to do so, that we may know we are among friends and  are not alone in our concerns for one another.
If we as a community cannot hear each other- let us seek help of the elders to guide us into unity.
May no one, in any circumstance feel alone, or be cast out without a friend.

As I was taught forgiveness, it is not just a moral guideline, it is a practically of life. 

I weigh myself down when I insist on holding on to anger, judgement and blame.

When I choose to forgive, I can walk lighter and more cheerfully and kindly in the world.

There may be little I can do about other's choices and I still have the opportunity every minute to feel lighter and more loving as I forgive.
There are times, when inspite of my doing my best to listen, and forgive,  I do have to cast a person out of my life, in the present moment. I can still pray that that will change. I can still forgive. 
When I hold no enmity in my heart, I can have no enemies.

May all beings be happy
May all beings be peaceful
May all beings be safe
May all beings be well in body mind an spirt.
May all beings be free.

Community and Growth/Power and Outcome

I admin a FB community group, Black Mountain Exchange.
We are practicing digital community in a counter cultural way.
All members agree to kindness and respect in all words typed in the group.
No random links to outside sources to prove your point. No GIFs. No sarcasm. No bullying. No name calling. No demonizing others because you are right and  they are wrong.
I am learning that some assumptions I have held most of my life are inaccurate.
I am learning there are people who have never experienced kindness- giving and/or recieving.
There are people who honestly believe you get power by taking power away from others.
There are people who given choices will chose to harm themselves and others.

So this is a practice and I cannot do it alone. I need you- you who hate me, who fear me, who wish to do me harm, to practice with me.

In our group, I am inviting us to listen and learn from each other, not type at each other.

It is a practice.

I recently wrote the following:

Thinking about events of the past view days...
I think our power comes in being together, not in changing the outcome.
The Board may appoint another member that won't represent me.
A company willing to lie and disregard local ordinances may continue to work in my Town and endanger my safety.
There may continue, in fact there will continue to be men in this Town, who in my weak moments I fear, and in my strong moments I fear and am not afraid.
And, when folks are engaging with me on these issues, agree or not; When folks are calling me and messaging me and thinking about things I am thinking about ;
And when folks show up at Meetings,just showing up so i have someone to shake my head with.
This gives me a feeling of power. A feeling of shift. A feeling of integrity, that Truth and justice will out.
If everyone who comments here came to Meetings- not just when they had a gripe, came to Meetings to witness what is happening and to stand together as a community; If our meetings were Town meetings, not just Board Meetings- the possibilities could be endless.
We can listen and learn from each other. I see it everyday.
I have a vision of a world where we don't need guards and walls.
I have a vision of a world where all children run free and strong and well fed and healthy.
I don't live in this world alone.
It takes a village and a vision. I need you. You need me.
We're all a part of one body of humanity.
I invite  you to think about spending less time attempting to create the outcome and more time creating community.
Thank you all for being a part of Black Mountain, and this group.

I extend that thanks to all of my digital community, joining me here in Still Waters, where the merit of our time here is for the highest good of all beings.
That all beings may be happy.
That all beings may be peaceful
That all beings may be well, in body mind and Spirit.
That all beings may be safe.
That all beings may be free.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness opens my heart.
Forgiveness is a powerful expression of love.
When I hold no resentment in my heart, no enmity, I can have no enemies.

Forgiveness does not condone or forget harmful behaviors.
Forgiveness can free me from negative feelings and from living my life in a state of blame.

I am the one set free by forgiveness.
Forgiveness frees me from the need to justify my rationale for holding another  liable for my pain.

I practice forgiveness  meditation daily.

There are many ways that I have hurt and harmed others,
have betrayed or abandoned them, 
caused them suffering, knowingly or unknowingly, 
out of my own pain, fear, anger and confusion.

I ask any who I have harmed to come to me, in the present moment and ask to be forgiven.

I can remember and visualize the ways I have hurt others.
See and feel the pain I have caused out of my own fear and confusion.
Feel my own sorrow and regret. 
I ask for forgiveness.
And then to each person in my mind: I ask for your forgiveness, Please forgive me.

There are many ways that I have hurt and harmed myself.

 I have betrayed or abandoned myself many times through thought, word, or deed, knowingly or unknowingly.

I feel the sorrow I carry from this and to the best of my ability, in the present moment I let that go.

For the ways I have hurt myself through action or inaction, out of fear, pain and confusion, I ask to be forgiven. 

I forgive myself.

 There are many ways that I have been harmed by others, 
abused or abandoned, knowingly or unknowingly, in thought, word or deed. 

I can  picture and remember these hurts, feel the sorrow I have carried from this past. 
I can call, all who have harmed me, real or imagined, known or unknown to me now, and extend forgiveness to the best of my ability, to the extent that I am able, in the present moment. 

I have carried this pain in my heart too long. 
To the extent that I am able, I offer forgiveness. 
To those who have caused me harm, I offer my forgiveness, I forgive you.

Even if I never want to see you again. To the best of my ability.

I forgive you.

It's a practice.
Please join me.

Comments, questions and prayer requests welcome.