Howdy, All!
Happy Hump Day, anyways! How’ve your weeks been so far? I mean, we had “Columbus Day” on Monday and I decided to give you all “a day off” from Educational Excellence’s e-mail. Hope you didn’t mind much. I also took a day from work to get an x-ray of my hip/psoas nerve/muscle area because my “discomfort” there hadn’t really subsided. The x-rays came back without any visible injury or complication but the doctor in the ER gave me some medications, including pain killer and an anti-inflammatory. She also gave me the name of an orthopedic doctor that Holy Cross has “on call”. I pray I don’t need him.
So, the week goes on … the representatives that we voted into office still haven’t learned to “lead nice”, so “we the people” continue to wonder what’s next! Will the government face default on our “bills”, as the POTUS has encouraged ALL not to embrace? It’s amazing to watch the continued “finger pointing” as the “ship” faces default … as if pointing fingers is the solution!!
This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending a workshop on “Love and Forgiveness” presented by a good friend and Brahma Kumaris “yogi”, Marianne Weiss. I hadn’t been to an event at Sister Ganga’s home in Miramar in over a year, as she is out West and I live Northeast of her. It was definitely a workshop to be in attendance. Interesting thing about the Brahma Kumaris is that the core value is “peace”. When we met, which was through Ms. Weiss at a Big Brothers, Big Sisters administrative meeting where I was marketing Educational Excellence, I didn’t know that we shared the same “core value” – peace. I have been “other routes”, if you will, in my lifetime, but I find the “know thyself”, peaceful route, acknowledging each of us as “energy” makes more sense to me, and feels better! Have you ever noticed how people can talk for HOURS about someone else and their challenges, rather than talk about themselves and ones own issues?! Our workshop was successful not only because of the stellar presentation skills of Ms. Weiss, but we each talked about “ourselves”, allowing others an opportunity to see oneself in “others” experiences! How radical, heh?!
At the end of the workshop, most of us agreed that there is a negative side of what we call love, and that is attachment. Love is no longer free when it becomes attached to something … some THING … that we want! Egos get bruised when they are put in the way and the fear that is generated by attempting to recuperate a bruised ego can be catastrophic indeed. Sister Marianne finished the workshop as we had started, speculating that if everyone really knew what love is, without attachments, we’d have no need for forgiveness! Believe it … or not!
Just in case this whole thing going on called the human experience gives you any concerns and you wonder where humankind is headed, choose LOVE!
Peace,
John I. Cook, Director
Educational Excellence 