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Nov10
Inspiration from Election Night
2 CommentsI was inspired by comments from both senators McCain and Obama on election night last week. Mr. McCain urged all Americans to join him in an effort to find ways to come together and to bridge our differences. In his speech, President-Elect Obama presented the resounding message of “Yes we can.” He stated, “We have never been a collection of red states or blue states, we are and always will be the United States of America. . . . If our children should live to see the next century . . . what change will they see? What progress will we have made?”
Regardless of political differences, the underlying theme in both speeches was of unification. When we come together we can make a difference and bring about change. Moving from the national level to the individual level, this is where change can begin. One way to make changes within ourselves is to take Obama’s message and personalize it by saying, “Yes I can.”
If we look within ourselves, this is the place where we have the power to directly make a change. We can all do something to grow and develop ourselves, even in a small way. This might be making a committing to get out of bed and exercise in the morning. We can also make a difference by reaching out to touch another’s life. This may be choosing to smile at a stranger in the grocery store line, or bringing in the mail for a neighbor who is ill. Empowering oneself and then sending out good wishes or lending a helping hand to another person feels wonderful, and it does make a difference. So the next time the thought goes through, “I can’t” or “I don’t feel like it,” try turning it around and saying, “Yes I can.”
2 Responses to “Inspiration from Election Night”
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Thank you for your meaningful reminders during this time of transition. I wanted to share a story that happened to me a couple of days before the election.
Right Wing, Left Wing Together
Just about every morning my husband and I take our dog, Basil for a walk along the neighborhood golf course. There is a small wooded hill that has always had a special feeling about it. So for many months, I have been placing natural objects on the top of this hill…..sort of gifts to this place. Now there is a large area covered with small rocks, seed pods, pine cones, feathers, whatever I may find before I reach the top.A few weeks ago, I noticed that someone else has begun placing things on this spot. It has become a dialog between strangers with a common love of assembling objects from Nature. I’ve become curious to see if my anonymous co-creator has added something.
Last week when looking for an object, I could not find anything that jumped out at me so I left not having placed a gift. Just down the hill, I heard a loud thumping above me. I looked up to see a large brilliant red and black Pileated woodpecker chopping away at a dead tree trunk. He had three holes carved out that were each 6 inches in diameter. He struck the tree with such precision and strength, it even got my dog’s attention. We stood there and watched as the wood chips fell at our feet. Then I saw something I have never seen before. The woodpecker began doing this stretching movement with his wings. First the right wing then the left wing….stretching each one as far as it could go…opening up and exposing a multitude of feathers on each side. The beauty and grace of this can hardly be expressed with words. I felt like I was being given a private performance of a majestic dance.
I went home excited and still curious about what that was all about. It became clear that this Pileated woodpecker has given me a great gift. His graceful movements reminded me that both the right and the left wing have their characteristics and both need to be exercised……then they support the whole.
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Dear Lou,
Thank you for sharing your sacred experience of offering gifts to the hill and the dialog that has ensued through the placement of the objects. What a gift you received from the Pileated woodpecker! Isn’t nature a wonderful teacher? The dance of your woodpecker displaying the value of both wings reminds me of a teacher I had in elementary school. Once, when referencing the attitude with which to approach a task, he said to me, “Remember that the dove has two wings. . .self-effort and Grace.”
