Creating Compassion Through Education

A short documentary has been made about a ship, the SS Quanza, and the 83 mostly Belgium Jewish people who were trying to enter the United States in 1940. Many ships had been turned away at that time, with hundreds of their passengers returned to their homeland for extermination. This ship’s youngest passenger, Annette Yachmann, is still living and enjoying a happy life teaching writing at a community college in New York and being a grandmother. She recalls the horror of being trapped on the ship, but is grateful that she was with her mother. She is vocally rebelling against the treatment of children who are separated from their parents as they attempt to enter the United States. The maker of this film, Laura Seltzer-Duny, tells of Eleanor Roosevelt’s extraordinary efforts to bring these people into our country. She also documents the efforts of others who were integral in the humanitarian effort, including a married couple who were lawyers and used maritime law to stalls the ship’s return to Europe. The movie is called “Nobody Wants Us”. It was made with the hope of educating people on the plight of immigrants and the historical fate of those turned away.  Education is essential in creating compassion. This is a perfect example. Today I will look for ways to foster compassion, through education.  

"Spirit, God, gathers unformed thoughts into their proper channels, and unfolds these thoughts, even as He opens the petals of a holy purpose in order that the purpose may appear." Mary Baker Eddy 

“Let us join together in a holy instant, here in this place where the purpose, given in a holy instant, has led you. And let us join in faith that He Who brought us here together will offer you the innocence you need, and that you will accept it for my love and His.” A Course in Miracles T-19.IV-D.9:6-7

Amanda Gorman’s Poem at UN Assembly

 

AN ODE WE OWE - Amanda Gorman

UN Secretary General, distinguished guests, and all of humankind:

How can I ask you to do good,

When we’ve barely withstood

Our greatest threats yet:

The depths of death, despair and disparity, Atrocities across cities, towns & countries, Lives lost, climactic costs.

Exhausted, angered, we are endangered,

Not because of our numbers,

But because of our numbness. We’re strangers To one another’s perils and pain,

Unaware that the welfare of the public

And the planet share a name–

–Equality

Doesn’t mean being the exact same,

 But enacting a vast aim:

The good of the world to its highest capability. The wise believe that our people without power Leaves our planet without possibility. Therefore, though poverty is a poor existence, Complicity is a poorer excuse.

We must go the distance,

Though this battle is hard and huge,

Though this fight we did not choose,

For preserving the earth isn’t a battle too large To win, but a blessing too large to lose.

This is the most pressing truth:

That Our people have only one planet to call home And our planet has only one people to call its own.

We can either divide and be conquered by the few, Or we can decide to conquer the future,

And say that today a new dawn we wrote,

Say that as long as we have humanity,

 We will forever have hope.

Together, we won’t just be the generation That tries but the generation that triumphs; Let us see a legacy

Where tomorrow is not driven

By the human condition,

But by our human conviction.

And while hope alone can’t save us now, With it we can brave the now,

Because our hardest change hinges On our darkest challenges.

Thus may our crisis be our cry, our crossroad, The oldest ode we owe each other.

We chime it, for the climate,

For our communities.

We shall respect and protect

Every part of this planet,

Hand it to every heart on this earth,

 Until no one’s worth is rendered

By the race, gender, class, or identity They were born. This morn let it be sworn That we are one one human kin, Grounded not just by the griefs

We bear, but by the good we begin.

To anyone out there:

I only ask that you care before it’s too late, That you live aware and awake,

That you lead with love in hours of hate.

I challenge you to heed this call,

I dare you to shape our fate.

Above all, I dare you to do good

So that the world might be great.”

Let’s Do This Together

I read an anecdote about an elderly man who was trying to pay for his groceries at the store. He had a bag of change that he was counting out to pay for his purchases. He kept messing up the count and was getting nervous. His hands began to shake. The people waiting in line were sighing and acting impatient. The lady checking him out gently put her hands over his and said, “Let’s do this together.” After he left, one of the customers thanked the cashier for her kindness, to which she replied: “You shouldn’t need to thank me. We all just need to love one another.” What a beautiful little story! In the hustle and rush of daily life, we may forget to help each other. Mindful awareness will bring us back to noticing where we may be of help, and what blesses one blesses all...  

"Love for mankind is the elevator of the human race; it demonstrates Truth and reflects divine Love." Mary Baker Eddy - from Miscellany Page 288:8-9

“A pure mind knows the truth and this is its strength. It does not confuse destruction with innocence because it associates innocence with strength, not with weakness.” 

A Course in Miracles T-3.I.5:5-6

Truth Will Stay Forever

San Francisco - photo by Aaron Springston

I’ve been pondering the difference in belief and understanding. Some people are blindly following leaders, while others have the questioning attitude which insists on answers. Do we practice by-rote actions or make thoughtful decisions based on evidence? These things, and more, are brought to mind when I witness what people do. It seems we see a lot of mean-spirited actions  — for instance, making rude comments about people, and poking fun in various ugly ways. Some folks have the belief that God has ordained how things should or should not be done. And what of habits we’ve fallen into, without questioning if they are necessary or productive — or even fun! Well, there certainly is much to think about, isn’t there? One thing I do know: When I wake up and meditate and do some deep thinking and study, the day goes smoothly and unfolds joyously. When I wake up and listen to reports of people’s crazy behavior before I’m centered, everything seems difficult. With a rocky start to the day, I’m not mindfully aware and may misplace things, or perhaps become irritated over nothing (or something!). Since I know I can’t change that guy over there, I will wake up tomorrow and do my best to not be foolish. Namaste...

“Life, Truth, and Love are the realities of divine Science. They dawn in faith and glow full-orbed in spiritual understanding. As a cloud hides the sun it cannot extinguish, so false belief silences for a while the voice of immutable harmony, but false belief cannot destroy Science armed with faith, hope, and fruition.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 298:2-7

“For faith brings peace, and so it calls on truth to enter and make lovely what has already been prepared for loveliness. Truth follows faith and peace, completing the process of making lovely that they begin. For faith is still a learning goal, no longer needed when the lesson has been learned. Yet truth will stay forever.” 

A Course in Miracle T-19.I.15:2-5

True Purpose

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Unknown Artist

If you’re like me, you enjoy listening to people’s descriptions of Near Death Experiences.  When we hear these stories, we may think the tellers have vivid imaginations; perhaps because of their similarity, we see it as proof of our Oneness. It’s fascinating to think of the possibilities of existence beyond this plane to which we cling. A YouTube video title caught my attention today. There was a young woman pictured with the words: Earth is Just a School, by Jane Thompson. As I listened to this woman tell of dying and returning to her body, I was reminded of my favorite teachings. Almost everything she said brought to mind statements from A Course in Miracles or Mary Baker Eddy. She speaks of healing our trauma, forgiving our parents, and the need to feel complete in order to live out our true purpose. And what is our real purpose? Where we are at each moment, that is our real purpose. We are all evolving and learning, and how we react to everything which happens is our education. But we must not forget that every school has a playground. Having fun is a huge part of this school! And becoming quiet enough to hear the messages coming through for us — in order to hear where intuition is leading, to allow synchronicities to be noticed, to feel the all-encompassing Love of the universe, we must practice allowing divine Mind to lead the way. Put this intention out there, and get ready for change!

“The admission to one’s self that man is God’s own likeness sets man free to master the infinite idea. This conviction shuts the door on death, and opens it wide towards immortality. The understanding and recognition of Spirit must finally come, and we may as well improve our time in solving the mysteries of being through an apprehension of divine Principle. At present we know not what man is, but we certainly shall know this when man reflects God.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 90:24-31

“O my child, if you knew what God wills for you, your joy would be complete! And what He wills has happened, for it was always true. When the light comes and you have said, ‘God’s Will is mine,’ you will see such beauty that you will know it is not of you. Out of your joy you will create beauty in His Name, for your joy could no more be contained than His. The bleak little world will vanish into nothingness, and your heart will be so filled with joy that it will leap into Heaven, and into the Presence of God. I cannot tell you what this will be like, for your heart is not ready.⁷Yet I can tell you, and remind you often, that what God wills for Himself He wills for you, and what He wills for you is yours.” 

A Course in Miracles T-11.III.3:1-7

The Holy Relationship

Photo credit: Aaron Springston

Relationships are assignments made with the purpose of triggering each other’s wounds. These wounds are mainly from childhood, and we’ve probably been replaying a version of them all our lives. In order to have maximum growth, we must face them and heal them, which cannot be done unless they’re opened up and brought to the surface. And so we meet someone, fall in love, have a mountaintop experience, then trip and fall down the hill. From that point, we can work on climbing back up, or stay where we’ve landed. In the exhilaration of romance, we have seen the truth of each other’s innocence; after a while, we get to see each other’s messed-up-ness. We may look at it in a sacred context and recognize the spiritual meaning and purpose, or we can focus on the hurt and allow our egos to separate us. Whether we live together in bodies, or live separately but remain together in heart, it makes no difference, as relationships are of the mind. I keep reminding myself that all crises are an invitation to rise to the occasion. It’s quite a trip, don’t you think?

"The holy relationship, a major step toward the perception of the real world, is learned.  It is the old, unholy relationship, transformed and seen anew.  The holy relationship is a phenomenal teaching accomplishment. In all its aspects, as it begins, develops and becomes accomplished, it represents the reversal of the unholy relationship.  Be comforted in this; the only difficult phase is the beginning.  For here, the goal of the relationship is abruptly shifted to the exact opposite of what it was.  This is the first result of offering the relationship to the Holy Spirit, to use for His purposes." A Course in Miracles

“The power of the human will should be exercised only in subordination to Truth; else it will misguide the judgment and free the lower propensities. It is the province of spiritual sense to govern man. Material, erring, human thought acts injuriously both upon the body and through it.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 206:4-9

My Mother Loved Baseball …

 

Bryan and Anita Havens
circa 1931

My mom was a baseball fan. She followed the St. Louis Cardinals and talked about the players with her friends. After I left home and lived in Fayetteville, she came to spend a few days at my house. My roommate was a baseball fan, too, so she and my mother spent some time watching games. Imagine my surprise when Brenda told me that my mother knew nothing about baseball! I was dumbfounded, and a bit embarrassed. This dear woman was a joyous ball of energy. She had a great laugh and rarely walked when she could run. But as children sometimes do, I didn’t realize how fabulous she was. She wore bright clothing and a flower in her hair, when my friends’ moms were non-descript. She painted doors bright red with black spots and gold doorknobs. She was happier than any other mom I knew. Looking back on her lack of baseball expertise, I see how cool that was! She enjoyed watching the players, cheered when they hit the ball (not caring if it was foul or fair), and was ecstatic when they made the playoffs. I wonder if she even knew what that meant? It didn’t matter! Sophia Anita Bravo Havens loved life! What I'd give to watch a game with her...

"Fed by Thy love divine we live,

    For Love alone is Life;

And life most sweet, as heart to heart

Speaks kindly when we meet and part."

Mary Baker Eddy