Often times when I read the news, I too sometimes feel scared, frustrated, angry and despair over the pandemics raging across America. We have the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic pandemic, but maybe even more damaging to the future of America is the underlying pandemic of social decay and the eruption of anger, and sometimes hatred that is moving across our nation.
Sometimes I wonder how we got here. How did we, as a nation of immigrants with checkered history in all of our DNA, become so split on so many levels?
We could all ponder this question until the end of time and it would not solve the problem. Also, it seems like the more some intellectualize history, the more they weaponize it to inflict their agenda on others. We could all debate all the “isms;” capitalism, socialism, communism, populism until the cows come home, and it would not solve a thing.
The reality is that America is sick at many levels.
Yet, America is us. We can make America great again.
Start with yourself, and work towards your own internalization of anything and everything you see lacking in the outer world. I truly believe that what we see is lacking in America is just a wakeup call for each of us to turn inward and rise up inside for a revolution of wholeness. Wholeness is each one of us embodying all that is divine and available and just saying “NO” to any action that caves into the darkness of the division in America.
America was born and built on a revolution of immigrants from nations rising together to create a union built upon, and in protection of, individual freedom. Yet, for our government to work, each of us needs to rise up and become responsible for ourselves first. I find that if I am focusing on fixing someone else or society outside of myself, I am avoiding the one person I can change – myself.
I choose to focus on Madison Hallberg, who recently was recording the National Anthem for Portland State University and while she was singing outside, an African American man was walking by and felt the music. Emmanuel “Onry” Henried, who is an opera singer joined in with Ms. Hallberg and their voices united in singing The Star-Spangled Banner.
Wow.
Instead of voices raised in polarity and disharmony, I heard their two beautiful voices in harmony spontaneously joining in exalting the song that unites us all as Americans. Truthfully, we are not black, white, red, female, male, or any polarity when we go deep to the foundation of who we are as Americans.
No doubt we all fail at times with inner and outer polarity. No doubt we can all do better as we pursue healing all that divides each of us on inner and outer levels.
Yet, these two young artists, who impromptu raised their voices in empowerment, hope and harmony, remind me that even though our nation is struggling at many levels due to disease, economics, social and policy differences, and threats to our national safety from outside our borders, we are founded on the sacred tenants of freedom. Freedom for all.
This freedom begets responsibility.
It is upon all of us to dig deep within ourselves and ponder the great gifts we share as Americans. Ponder all that we can still become, like the phoenix rising. And, roll up our sleeves and do our inner work to improve ourselves to be the hero, the example, the one who chooses love and leadership wherever we are. We can look to Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, and even great religious leaders – Jesus, Gautama Buddha, and the lives of the saints as examples of what each one of must become in order to bring forth and embody all that is possible for each of us in our nation founded on divine principles of freedom.
As Ms. Hallberg and Mr. Henried spontaneously joined their voices in harmony in singing our national anthem, I hope each of us will raise our voices in harmony and seek creation of unity wherever we can. There is much we can do when we share our passion and hearts in harmony.
Those who change the outer world, changed themselves first.
They changed the world by finding inner wholeness and raising other souls up from that fountain of love. They found a way past polarizing and seeing difference. They found a way to create harmony. They found a way to use their light to elevate and help free all life around them.
When we are whole, we can serve as a touchstone to hear others in their pain and be with them in ways that allow them to find resolution and freedom. Together, in a community of connection built on true freedom for all people, we can rise from where we are now. Let’s start a revolution for wholeness that starts at home inside of us, and from that foundation, let’s transform our nation to be the place we dream of.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2V0rG_4Ax4
#WorldNewsTonight #Onry #MadisenHallberg.
I saw a truck last week in Billings with the words “Freedom isn’t Free” written boldly and largely on the entire side…it got me to thinking something similar to what you have written about each of us doing our part. Freedom does beget responsibility…my own and others. And, no matter what the freedoms is (to live in this beautiful country, to be free from sin and death, to be free front he restrictions of a Pandemic) takes sacrifice and responsibility. Thanks, Hertha, for your musings and wisdom. I enjoy your entries.