It's funny. I have been working on my thoughts for this post for several days, reading what others are thinking about, reviewing where I stand on things, determining those things I think I need to change...
Changes like:
1. Reducing my carbon footprint, my environmental impact (see the banners above) - committing to a more environmentally friendly way to live...
2. Re-committing to Voluntary Simplicity - "less is more" philosophy - tightening up the financial portfolio, using what I have, making do, simplifying, streamlining, etc., etc...
3. Opening to Grace and using "Abundance Thinking" - I enjoyed reading this post: from Jocelyn - and thinking about my private spirituality and commitments...
4. Silencing the cacophony - because I was totally inspired by Pumpkinknitter's post about silence, not just one night a year (so much so that the cell phone and TV are going to be turned off a lot in 2008). I think by the end of the holiday season, all of us have our nerves on edge, it's just been too much of everything...
5. Of course, I've already committed to knitting for peace, and the events in Pakistan yesterday only made me that much more resolved to do so...
Still, there's this part of me that is nagging away, at the back of my brain. It's the part that says "yah, yah, yah...every year, you do this every year - and so does everyone else - just where do you think you'll be in 2 months with this process?"
Well. Touche. The skeptic that's back there at the back of my brain, also said I'd never quit smoking. But I did. It'll soon be 4 years, and I'm never going back - no, this time I can say "NEVERMORE." And know I mean that.
But I can say that even 2 months of making these changes, even if they don't last, will make a difference. I do believe that having ideals, making plans (or resolutions if you call them that), organizing, de-cluttering, reducing, reusing, recycling, trying to make my carbon footprint smaller, creating silence, and especially working for peace, making space for meditation - in the form of knitting, mostly - all of this affects my state of mind positively, and thus the state of mind of those around me.
It IS, as Margene says, all about the process...If we cycle thru these changes, succeeding and failing and succeeding again...the perpetual movement forward is what counts, the falling back just helps us regroup, to go forward again (BTW, I believe that theory is from Camus, if my memory serves).
At any rate, giving up is not an option. We must continue to strive.
Benazir Bhutto knew that, as surely as she had to know she was signing her death sentence when she returned to Pakistan. Still...we have to work for peace, for change, on a micro scale as well as a macro one...
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."—Margaret Mead
3 comments:
Perfectly and beautifully said Sallee. This has been my train of thought for many months now. We all CAN make a huge difference, one person at a time. We can't wait for the 'big boys' to do it for us, why would we want to anyways.
Happy, Healthy 2008 to you and your family and all your felines too.
Huggs...G
That Margaret Mead quotes is one of my very favorite in all the world. It definitely keeps me moving forward even in those regrouping moments when I need a pause. Thanks for writing about this so beautifully! One small personal step at a time, taken as others make the same kinds of steps, can only be for the better. A happy and peaceful new year to you and your family!
This year is I am going to be focusing on moving my parents into assited living and cleaning out their old house. As I do so I am recycling everything I can and ensuring my house will never get that full of junk.
I started the year out by donating 12 inches of my hair to Locks of Love. I am working on a leaf for the tree in Peace Fleece.
Your words are beautiful and the caring that you share with your fellow man and the planet we live on is inspiring. I know no matter what changes you do that you have contributed to positive change in the world. You are an inspiration to us all.
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