A New World Within

Goodbye February. Hello Lent. Almost all the bad things that have happened to me have happened in February. I'm sorry if the misfortunes of my personal February connections have cast a spell onto this February's financial debacle.

But, what a relief, it's Lent; I have official sanction to drop out. My body says you've had enough of the doomsayers and the uncertainty of our financial reality so, let them go.

My spirit says what's taken so long? Why haven't you used the tools God's given you intuition, meditation and prayer? I guess the din of the noise out there, has masked my small inner voice, which, right now, isn't so still. Pay attention, it says, I have things to say.

My intuition always has had something to say; but I've often neglected it; how to rely on something so insubstantial? Of course, the substantial has now morphed into the insubstantial, so I might as well rely on the insubstantial I know intimately my intuition - rather than on the insubstantial reports from CNN and my financial statements.

My intuition gave its own summary of Barack's speech Tuesday night: yes, Barack all that they say about you is true; yes, Barack, I believe in the hope; yes, Barack, I hear you. I just don't believe you.

It's not you, personally or politically; it's the public context and framework from which you must organize, orate and operate that weighs me down. How could it be that our every public moment is spent talking, thinking, plotting about money?

I agree with Barack that we can shape our world. We've shaped the one we have either by action or inaction and it's turned into corporate oligarchy. If this is an opportunity to create something different, will the shape of our economy and the country's vision remain pretty much as it is or will the form itself change?

The Amish have shaped their world - differently from ours they forgive murderers. Ticht Naht Hanh has created a world Plum Village in France - shaped without personal ownership. The shape of the Mondragón Corporation in Spain is one of the world's largest worker cooperatives; worker managed.

The United Kingdom changed the form of its health care from private to public, and - I recently read that on the day it switched over nothing happened, no riots or demonstrations; just more sick people going to the doctor.

So, Barack, how we get to the "there" of your vision from the "here" of our current systems is a little squishy. Yes, we have an historic opportunity; yes we're not "quitters" as the South Carolina student told him; and also yes: our record so far shows no hint that we have the right stuff to build a future fundamentally different from our past. My intuition tells me this is worrisome.

It's probably no coincidence that Lent occurs at the end of winter in preparation for the creativity and new life of Easter. Barbara Crafton, Almost daily eMo, offers me an appropriate Lenten guide:

"Remember that you are tired, that you need to slow down, that you need to think."

That's right, I am; I do.

"Remember what you long ago forgot."

What I forgot was to rely on my intuition that 9/11 was not a surprise considering what was happening globally; that McMansions were not real; that "the race to the bottom" was real and not just a political slogan. Because I forgot, I did not speak my truth I let the party line stand.

"We don't have to make it right all by ourselves."

This is one I think I haven't forgotten. I have been graced by a church community that struggles with the tension created by our generous corporate ancestors' endowed gifts and our efforts to "make it right" for the poor and needy of our community.

I was heartened by the iconic image of Barack our black president standing in front of our woman Speaker of the House of Representatives and our white male vice-president and the congressional audience's diversity. We now see though the race/gender glass a little less darkly.

Significant though it is, maybe that accomplishment of diversity is not all we can do. Maybe we'll still have the energy and grit to make the world new again - again. Maybe we'll have the courage to admit to ourselves that we'd like a Good Life* - based on human, not corporate, values. Our financial melt-down is man made, not a God-send for reflection, yet, the timing of our economic straits with the Lenten season is stunning.

"This is an historic moment that warrants self-evaluation as we envision a better world. And the vision we project to ourselves will be reflected in the world we create.

Change always starts from within."**Joe Brewer

Often by following one's intuition.

Doing Good. Together.

21 days till it's official

Snowdrops are blooming!

*(video) The Good Life http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McvCJley78A