Humanity with all its fears,
With all its hopes of future years,
Is hanging breathless on thy fate.
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Those words may seem a little dramatic, but many of you know my philosophy is that personal transformation is the key to social transformation. And as I also always say, we are living in extraordinary times.
There is a reason why you are born in the year and place you were, with the characteristics – physical, mental and emotional, every circumstance – that you alone possess; you are who you are at this particular point in history for a reason.
Our country and our world is in the midst of an identity crisis which brings with it some tough growing pains. Things are shifting and reaching their breaking point on every level – whether being fed up with racial injustice, fighting for a government and economy that works without legislating by greed or medieval definitions of morality, having the courage to speak up for what it means to be comfortable in your own skin regardless of the gender you appear to be vs. what you know you are and your rights to your sexual orientation; the Earth crying out for healing with earthquakes and extreme weather, and the subsequent destruction and crisis’ that force us to work together; or even collectively lamenting the end of an era with Dave and Jon’s exit from their late night posts – the Universe is pushing us to our limits and asking us to stretch our ultimate acceptance of each other as part of the same human family.
Change brings with it the unknown, which makes most of people kind of bonkers. Perhaps you or a loved one is going through a health crisis, experiencing a breakup or loss, recovering from a natural disaster, transitioning from male to female, or are in between jobs or graduating into the “real” world. Not knowing what’s next, or realizing that what once was can no longer be is unsettling to say the least when we don’t have the tools and perspective to cope.
One antidote to this anxiety is remembering that everyone has a gift to offer, and when you both discover and use that gift in the present, it is much easier to trust what may come tomorrow.
If you want to heal others, you don’t even have to be a doctor or a nurse; you can be like the 23year old young man who so lovingly, respectfully and skillfully transports extremely vulnerable patients from their hospital bed to their procedures; making their day just a little less stressful, and provides much comfort and ease to help alleviate the fear such a situation entails. You can connect and find common ground with, or event protest for, the rights of someone who is seemingly different from you. You can send a text to see how your friend is doing. You can write a song or book or paint a picture that brings even just a few moments of joy and upliftment to someone in the midst of a challenging situation. Dr. Christianne Northrup talks about how the greatest gift you can give to the world is your own healed life.
Maybe you do have the big, profound idea that will literally change the way we live, or save millions of lives, but maybe you just allow yourself to be who you are and pursue your highest calling, no matter what that is or what it looks like, or how different it may be than everyone currently around you, knowing that someone will benefit from your efforts should you have the courage to walk that path.
You matter. Everyone has a part to play in the healing of our planet, regardless how big or small. We are all trying to survive and thrive the best we can. We must resist the tendency for technology to make us robots and feel disconnected to others; we can all do something everyday that is of service to someone else or expresses gratitude for the service someone has offered us.
Life matters. What we do right now determines how we will live tomorrow. As the poet Mary Oliver says, “The patterns of our lives reveal us. Our habits measure us. Our battles with our habits speak of dreams yet to become real.” We are here to heal the wounds of our world and to lend our voice, talent, passion, money and action to leave it a better place with our having existed. What kind of presence – not wishful thinking – are you giving to today, knowing that it will make a better tomorrow?
Not quite sure what your part in the future is? I’m no Disney-fied version of George Clooney, but can nevertheless inspire you to make the most of today, and if not, assure you like a little orphan named Annie, that the sun will always come out, because tomorrow is only a day away…
(Today’s PGG was originally posted on May 5, 2015)
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KRISTINA LEONARDI 
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