Last Christmas my beautiful daughter created and gifted me with a T-shirt I truly love. It wasn't that it was made of the most perfect t-shirt material or that it even was my favorite color. It was her knowing of me in the glittery gold letters on the front. The letters that spelled out "I'm just a girl with ideas."
The creation of this post is an idea about a way to express my ideas about rock and roll life in the 21st century. (Yes, I meant to put those two "abouts" so close together in that sentence!) You have to admit that this century, so far, has been some wild ride! So easy to get caught up in the conventional dualistic he said she said right wrong bad good democrat republican crazy speak. I want to practice thinking and speaking from a vantage point outside that fray. Everyday.
For starters, then, I want to address the "debate" around Barack Obama receiving the Nobel Peace Prize last week. Clearly an event that shocked him...and pissed off many. He doesn't deserve it, he hasn't done enough, he's not accomplished a lot since he's been in office...were the opinions I was hearing. And after spending some time catching and containing the part of me that just wanted to defend him, I really thought about what that award, to him, in the 21st century might represent. You see, I think we are being pushed to evolve...as a species, as a country, as a society. And that theory is one I'll explore over and over in my blog writings. But for right now, in this instance, I wondered what it might mean if that award was a step in our evolution. What if it represented a next level kind of thinking about honoring someone for their role in world peace?
Let's see.....my thoughts slip back to John Bradshaw, the brilliant late '80's PBS speaker who inspired so many to see family systems in a totally new & dynamic way. He coined the phrase, "human doings", suggesting that we had strayed from the concept of "being" and set the foundation of all in our lives rest on what we DID, ACCOMPLISHED, ACQUIRED, etc. Where was the "being" in humanity? My thoughts then jumped to the Professor Dumbledore wisdom of how we are defined by our choices. Our choices, which precede our action, our doing. And then what in us inspires our choices? Who we are? What if most all our choices are made by that part of us that is striving to get in the front of the line in the competition of life? Do, accomplish, compete, acquire, win, be the best, A's, etc., etc. I'm not saying these things aren't important, I'm just asking if they reflect our true selves, or what we've been taught to think is important. This is a pondering for me these days!
Now you may be wondering what all these questions, thoughts and ponderings have to do with my topic for the day. Barack Obama and the Nobel Peace Prize. So, here it is. What I'm wondering, if is he was awarded the Peace Prize not for what he has accomplished, but for who he IS. No drama Obama. The man who tries, as I see it, in a swirling political world of dualistic, cut throat judgement, to BE outside the fray. To stand for peace of mind and heart. I get that if he can stand in that place, in his heart and actions, even 50% of the time while in that environment, it would be a miracle. AND would make all those who don't have the ability to stand outside the fray really really frustrated. After all, it's a much more powerful place of change, being instead of doing. So much has been done & accomplished, but do we, as a society and a country, show up as who we ARE?
The girl who has ideas had these thoughts for the day. Love to you.
