This post got me thinking this morning. Actually, it accelerated my thinking.
After a stirring talk by Marianne Williamson, in St. John’s, Newfoundland…. and an evening of actively supporting the event with a magnificent team of volunteers, I am realizing that not only did these remarkable, giving people rise to the challenges of a new venue and new expectations… there is an enduring and heightened sense of the importance of real in this world.
I do not speak of or to the real that many consider reality… being some misguided and limited version of practical. I do refer to saying what you mean and meaning what you say. I do refer to doing what you say and saying what you do. I do refer to meaning what you do and doing what you mean. You get the picture.
Nothing is served in a world where we turn our heads from the “ugly”. Nothing is served when we pay it lip service. That is posturing and posturing only manifests balance, not movement. Nothing or no one is served when we say one thing and do another. Indeed, it breeds cynicism, and can hurt.
I am a Baha’i. There are no clergy in the Baha’i Faith. Our ultimate responsibility is to honoring God by serving humanity. Baha’u’llah, the Prophet Founder of the Faith said “the betterment of the world can be accomplished through pure and goodly deeds”. Imagine that, the betterment of the world… through deeds that are not only good, but purely intended. This quote provides, for me, a benchmark for bettering the world; ensuring our deeds are both good and pure.
So, what is pure? I am an educator. I believe education is the force for excellence, growth and change; not simply for change sake, but truly constructive change. I contend that L.O.V.E. is at the heart of true education…. the process of LOOKING within ourselves for our strengths of character and talent, seeking OPPORTUNITIES in the world where those strengths can best serve, having a VISION of how the world will be bettered by it locally or globally, and then simply ENGAGING the process by doing it. L.O.V.E. is practical. It is an action. It is service. It is not soft or manipulative. It is assertive. It is pure, based on our strengths in service to needs found. Loving our education, our students, our work, our colleagues… is about service, purely done and intended; giving our best. And for me, ultimately knowing that is between me and God, the All Knowing Force that gets it.
This implies integrity… alignment of words and actions. Our best requires integrity; the alignment of intent and delivery. Letting deeds be our adorning, not simply words. What we do speaks volumes over what we say. As we each move forward, hopefully with the intent to manifest a better world, such is the baseline. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Be real. Get real. It is the grit that will give us all traction. The world needs that as it builds both trust and faith in the words and actions, moving forward.
Peace, passion and prosperity; through education.
Barry Lewis Green, aka The Unity Guy™