Pete Seeger’s Where Have All the Flowers Gone? sings me this morning.
When will they ever learn? Is the lyric, but I know they are us.
We are the children and the parents and the crazy one and the teacher.
We are the ones and this is our lesson to be learned.
There is no benefit in pushing it away.
There is no learning in denying that we are responsible.
There is no value in grieving the loss without making a change.
There is no blessing when we live as victims, angry and afraid.
This is yet another wakeup call.
This is our invitation to choose again.
This is our gift to reach out with love.
This is our prayer for peace so we might understand.
And when we understand, let us act.
And when we forgive, let us make inner changes.
And when we wakeup, let us be response- able.
And when we remember, let us begin to love every one.
This morning the sunrise is beautiful brilliant pinks and blues.
The hues of baby blue and sweet pink drenched in golden light remind me.
The mist on the lake twirling over the mountains feels like a tribute to all the little ones.
Yes, it is time to build a safe world for every child in every nation in all our world.
And what builds safety and kindness?
What brings healing and forgiveness?
We have tried to use punishment and guns, prisons and pain.
We have tried to use guilt and revenge, justice and more of the same.
When will we ever learn?
Every act of violence is a cry for help.
Every act of harm is a desperate need for respite from fear.
Every anger expressed builds anger in our world.
The “crazy” one is humanity’s craziness.
The story has not been told, and never will be known.
But the rabid animal is sick with pain and clearly insane.
And how do we treat what is wounded, sick and scared?
When will we ever learn?
Now is our time to choose again.
Sanity and profound clarity is needed now.
Let us heal the shock, and soothe the sorrow.
Let’s begin to eliminate the selling of violence.
Let us be willing to undo what does not work.
Let us address the problem at its core.
Let us nurture Love within everyone as the solution.
We know fear and hatred do not work.
We can learn to teach love and forgiveness.
We know the sights and sounds children see teach them.
We can change the pictures, words and experiences of humanity.
We can learn.
We must learn.
We can choose again.
We must forgive ourselves.
Bless you little ones for helping us to awaken and choose again for gentle ways of Loving Kindness,
Betty Lue
If Children (and Adults) Live With……….
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with: criticism, hostility, fear, pity, ridicule or jealousy,
They will learn to: condemn, fight, be apprehensive, feel sorry for themselves, feel shy and feel envy.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and others.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
LOVE
There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer;
No disease that enough love will not heal;
No door that enough love will not open;
No gulf that enough love will not bridge;
No wall that enough love will not throw down;
No sin that enough love will not redeem.
It makes no difference
how deeply seated may be the trouble,
How hopeless the outlook,
How muddled the tangle,
How great the mistake.
A sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all.
If only you could love enough, you would be the happiest
and most powerful being in the world.
Emmet Fox