I am neither Christian, nor Jewish, nor Muslim
I am not of the East, nor of the West…
I have put duality away, I have seen the two worlds as one;
One I seek, One I know, One I see, One I call ~ Rumi
One love, one heart. Let’s get together and feel alright. ~ Bob Marley
Two weeks ago I wrote in my PGG The Right Stuff about The Overview Effect, when astronauts gain a unique vantage point as they look back on the Earth from outer space. Because of the largely visible total eclipse of the moon this past Sunday, we were fortunate to have the opposite experience – a momentarily unified humanity from all over the planet looking up at a single celestial body – an event that was observed from more places and had more PR than any other in recent times thanks to social media – and therefore a live audience of millions all gathering to see a purely Universe-made happening.
Interesting timing, that Universe, having this somewhat rare phenomenon occur right on the heels and in the midst of major gatherings in the US over the past week or so, as New York City hosted nearly every world leader and thousands of visitors due to various occasions combined, making for some pretty intense energy and having an elevated focus on topics with substance and meaning – something other than obnoxious politicians with or without bad hair, voluptuous vapid sisters with big lips and booties, or hypocritical extremists trying to take over governments both here and abroad.
As is the nature of these things, there is a lot of talk, but far too often the words are not backed up with actions, nor the integrity to follow-through or practice what is preached. Corporate and world leaders make promises to play nice, do good business and shake hands for the camera, the Pope pontificates about peace, justice and charity; the NGO’s sincerely say they want to change the world by eradicating poverty, empowering women and girls and protecting the environment. There are lots of demonstrations made, goals declared and agreements reached.
One could easily become cynical, as many of the world’s problems persist and get rehashed in a recycled historical loop with the same players in different clothes. And this year the particularly high high of this past weekend came crashing down like a bad hangover just days later with the harsh reality and news of scandals, secret meetings and airstrikes. What were we thinking?! How could we be so naive to think that anything would change?
Ever the optimist, I beg to differ. This time something did shift, something did in fact reveal itself – and it wasn’t the people doing the talking, but within the ones, all of us, who were listening.
If you watched speeches from the likes of Malala, Obama or Mandela (with Eddie and Beyonce!), you might certainly have been inspired, but it was that elderly man in the white garb and black Fiat who captivated our country and dominated the air waves every day last week, who provided what seems like a huge drink of water in a desert of doom.
No matter your religious background – practicing or not, believer or non – journalists and jokers alike couldn’t help but find it refreshing to witness such continuously positive messages across so broad and diverse audiences and media outlets over several days. They were a potent antidote to the usual, and especially recent, vitriol, hate, gossip and intolerance broadcast as news, and the increasing violence, betrayal and revenge we are offered and consume as entertainment. The quench of thirst was palpable on many levels.
As someone who is hyper-conscious and aware of this need in society, it was profoundly encouraging and affirming that people from all walks of life were responding as they were to his words and actions, strategically staged or not. It just proved once again how much we are deprived of and yearning for connection, compassion, and hope, And whether or not you believe he is genuine and authentic, the superficial display had enough power to wake up so many who didn’t even know what they were missing and so desperately seeking.
Remember what themes spoke to you last week, what you and everyone around you innately responded to and was stimulated and stirred within: kindness, inclusion, healing, empathy. As the days go by, don’t have amnesia and instead notice the contrast when you look at new shows with titles such as Blood & Oil, The Bastard Executioner, Scream Queens, and lest you forget again: Blindspot.
SO, back to that eclipse. Did I mention what made it even more special was its reddish hue? Curious dontcha think since it’s the color most often associated with, and the essence of what we all crave for: LOVE
Looking for more than just a glimpse of goodness? Like the clouds here in the northeast that were playing peek-a-boo with La Luna, and cameras that couldn’t quite catch its full beauty and magic, perhaps that’s the lesson – to hold these fleeting moments, these unusual and unlikely spectacles where they belong; in our minds, and more importantly in our hearts as we move forward, knowing we don’t need to look outside ourselves to people or institutions to find what we are looking for.
We can be the leaders in our own lives and choose “the better angels of our nature” to create the world we want in our own sphere of influence, so give me a buzz, and I’ll help you come out of the shadows and form your Global Goals for 2030 and beyond!
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KRISTINA LEONARDI 