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December 2007In this Issue: Americans |
In writing this month’s e-zine I am reminded of what Mother Theresa once said: that we can do no great things, only small things with great love. In the piece below called Americans I share a story about living among the people of the Stars and Stripes. In “Peers of Influence” I draw your attention to how beautiful and precious a country this is. I see examples of love in action happening often in America, and the people who choose to behave this way move me deeply. They give me strength and fortify my courage. As a life coach I have the privilege of supporting people to see and accept both their Light and what darkness lurks in the mind—thus they can begin to grow in awareness and understanding. Not an easy journey, but what else is there really to do here on earth? Enjoy the holidays… walk slowly, softly and be gentle with yourself and others. Blessings of peace, *If you'd like to share this issue with a friend, they can view the newsletter online at http://www.seanleclaire.com/ezine/, or you can use the Forward link at the bottom of this issue. If you'd prefer not to receive future issues of Be The Change, click the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of this message. AMERICANSI first came to live in America by heading south in a blue van from Vancouver, British Columbia with the western canon and eastern mystical literature tucked inside her side panels. For two years, I rolled through 100,000 miles of the stars and stripes highways staying close to mountains, small towns and fast flowing rivers. I wandered among the people, shot wild rivers in kayaks, climbed mountains, made friends with both great oceans, read my books and saw my fair share of road kill and carnage. I learned how to take showers standing up in gas station washrooms. I learned that every garage owner in America is named Joe. I learned that homeless people have hearts, too, and that many are far more intelligent than they first appear. I learned that wherever I went, my shadow followed me. I learned who I was not and who I could be. I learned many things, met many interesting people, and came to love America. I began to see that there’s a lot more to these “loud, proud Americans” than first meets the eye. Driving an interstate highway in the midwest I came upon a rise in the road and saw smoke ahead. Traffic backed-up. Rounding the bend, I saw flames spark and shoot into a steel gray sky. I saw cars. Cars parked along side the highway. I saw cars on fire in ditches. I saw cars smashed against trees. I saw cars overturned and smoldering. I saw a propane truck on its side; I saw cars twisted, turned, burning—a pile-up. No police or paramedics were on the scene. I slowed the blue van to a crawl and parked in the staggered line of cars and trucks on the side of the road then stood on my side board. I looked and saw a red Jeep burst into flames about 50 yards to my right. I saw a dark blue SUV ablaze. I saw cars everywhere. I saw people. People… burnt, burning, broken and other people running. I saw Americans, bodies of Americans… lean and fat bodies, ugly and beautiful bodies, muscular and awkward bodies, arms and legs and feet and hips moving, bodies running straight toward burning cars. I saw men and women charging toward cars. Burning flesh and fuel filled the air. I saw a middle-aged man sprint with a young boy tucked under his right arm like a Rose Bowl football. I saw men crawling through shattered car windows. I saw a young man, with his baseball cap turned backwards, pull and then drag an old man from the shattered front window of Chevy truck. I saw men and women slip and slide on gasoline slicks then get up and run toward people lying on the pavement, in the grass, in burning cars and trucks. I saw people pulling other people out of cars. I saw a large black woman with a backside as big as a barn lift a man on her shoulders, stumble then get up and run with the man on her back as his car exploded. I saw blood-stained windows and red glass shards on the asphalt. I saw more blood than a person is supposed to see, unless you’re a cop or doctor or a fireman, and they weren’t here yet. I saw men and women with blackened faces, carrying men and women and children from cars and trucks and smoke and fire. I saw skin smeared with sweat glisten and heat ripple under the late afternoon sun. I saw people forget about their own safety to save their brothers and sisters. I saw courage. I saw small acts of great love. I saw the very best of America that day. I saw that they didn’t wait. Americans don’t wait. They are crazy. Crazy people don’t wait. Americans are crazy. And that’s the kind of crazy I’m comfortable living with. Canada’s a nice country and I love Canadians. I’m still one myself. But I’m tired of folks trash-talking Americans. It’s not easy daring to be great, to be number one, daring, period. It’s a daring Republic and, in America, there are leaders in power now that don’t represent the heart of the people—democrat or republican. The average American will pull you from a burning car wreck. The average American will crawl on broken glass to save a brother. The average American will give you the shirt off their back if they see you need it. Yeah, many of them think we Canadians celebrate July 4th for Canada’s birthday and some Americans still drive up, ski racks loaded atop their roofs in mid-July, looking for our snow-covered mountains. And some will put a pistol in your face if you piss them off. Regardless of the dangers in this complicated country, I’m grateful to be living among such people. Americans know how to handle pressure and disasters, which is a damn good thing because this young country’s going through some terrific growing pains. More of the heart of more of the people needs to come to the forefront. I love America, and maybe it is time for its citizens—to begin to love themselves.BODY-CENTERED BREAKS (BCBs)The Body-Centered Break is a body-focused inquiry and awareness meditation lasting only two minutes and done whenever and wherever you are in your day. Benefits as described by coaching clients include: calmness of mind, overall sense of well-being, sharpened mental focus, reduced anxiety, increased ability of autonomous nervous system to recover rapidly from stress, and an increased capacity for learning. CLICK here for an audio-guided BCB at any time you feel the need to slow down and center into yourself. Enjoy the Benefits NOW! HeadRest Radiate QuietMind SteamValve PEERS OF INFLUENCEOn Disabilities Awareness Day, at the Boston Red Sox’s Fenway Park, this man with autism, who was chosen to sing the national anthem, got a case of the giggles half way through. Listen to what the crowd does to support him. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhcZRFcjbhw SHARED WISDOMStop imagining yourself being or doing this or that and the realization that you are the Source and heart of all will dawn upon you. With this will come great love which is not choice or predilection, or attachment, but a power which makes all things love worthy and loveable.
INQUIRYWhere does my attention most easily go? POEMGethsemane The grass never sleeps. Jesus said, wait with me. But the disciples slept. The cricket has such splendid fringe on its feet, Jesus said, wait with me. And maybe the stars did, On the dear bodies, slumped and eye-shut, that could not
WONDERINGHow clearly can I see myself? WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS RIGHT ACTIONThis holiday season, enjoy an interview with God. http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com
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© 2007 Sean Casey LeClaire, all rights reserved. |
