Responsibility...

"I want to remind us all that the world is listening, all the time. How we are ripples out from us into the world and affects others. We have a responsibility – an ability to respond – to the world. Finding our particular way of living this responsibility, of offering who we are to the world, is why we are here. We are called because the world needs us to embody the meaning in our lives. God needs us awake. The world we live in is a co-creation, a manifestation of individual consciousness woven into a collective dream. How we are with each other as individuals, as groups, as nations and tribes, is what shapes that dream." ~Oriah Mountain Dreamer

There's a lot of talk happening on my Twitter stream about the recent turtle deaths. It is heartbreaking and I'm wondering just what will come out of all the talking.

This article best reflects my thoughts... who bears responsibility for what has happened? People are talking about the Government and how this could be allowed to happen and what is to be done about it... this situation did not just spring up in a week. Who allowed the hotelier to build so close to the nesting site? Who is supposed to monitor our waterways? A river does not shift course suddenly. Yes, bulldozers moved in and devastated a nesting site. Who sent them in? Who were the drivers? As I told my mom - if I were driving a bulldozer that unearthed so many eggs/hatchlings I'd have stopped to consider the consequences.

I think we all need to look at ourselves, at how we think and at how we respond to circumstances. If we are placed in positions where we can effect major change, as in the case of persons in Government, then we should realise that such positions carry with it a responsibility and a trust from the persons that have bestowed that power. If, in the course of our daily lives, we see opportunities for us to further develop ourselves... it is our responsibility to consider how such development would affect the environment around us.

My thoughts of course... feel free to disagree. I'm just wondering how deeply people are thinking about such things at this time.

peace,

Ren

I have words...

"I believe that we are solely responsible for our choices, and we have to accept the consequences of every deed, word, and thought throughout our lifetime." ~Elizabeth Kubler-Ross 

Guaico left a comment on Saturday's blog post saying that she had no words about this. The newspaper reports that "ninety-one (91) or 40.8% of the 223 cancer patients over-radiated by the Brian Lara Cancer Treatment Center (BLCTC) are dead". I have words... a few of them are: 

My feelings about that incident are somewhat skewed towards the negative. I think today is for speaking of incidents that disturb me. The fact that this could happen... that such an error could be made and not swiftly corrected and not communicated to those that it would be most important to... that something like this would be hidden and not investigated thoroughly and in a timely fashion...  that I may not even know half of what's going on or what's true or not true about the whole situation because of lack of transparency and reporting... it is all horrible. 

Another situation that has me... gloomy. Sad, in a what's-going-on-with-the-world kind of way? This. The family is friends of my family. I remember going there with my mom as a little girl for satsang (my brother and I would both fall asleep during and wake up at the end)... Small things come back to you when you reflect on how you know someone and for someone to disrupt their lives in such a way... Heartbreaking. That's the word that comes to mind. 

Something that has me annoyed. Vexed. Grumpy in a way that I'm not usually. Work... of course. Of course. I wish that people would stop wasting my time... that those in higher management would actually figure out what they can and can't do. That they'd acknowledge whether or not they are able to fulfill their responsibilities... that they'd remove themselves from the equation if they can't.

I think tonight's word is responsibility... something that I believe we all need to look at. What are we responsible for? What impact do our choices make? Whose world do we shatter? Whose future do we build?

I have words. I hope that, in some way, they make an impact.

peace,

Ren

Finding peace in the mundane.

"Stillness, insight, and wisdom arise only when we can settle into being complete in this moment, without having to seek or hold on to or reject anything." ~Jon Kabat-Zinn 

Number of shirts ironed for male parent: 10

Epiphany (does it count if it occurs every time I iron?): Wrinkle-free shirts don't necessarily stay wrinkle-free.

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Found myself ironing shirts this evening because my dad forgot to tell me over the very long weekend that he was out of shirts. One day my dad will either learn to iron his own shirts... or be retired and no longer have the need to have ironed shirts... that day is not today though. There have been times in the past (and present) where I have been very grumpy about ironing... or doing other household stuff (not laundry - I've mentioned previously that we each do our own)... I'm trying to be less so. I'm finding it easier to be less grumpy.

The cute guy asked me recently what made me go off and become a volunteer at Kripalu. It was a combination of reasons that included just wanting to go there and work-stress and lack of direction and also that I was tired of taking care of people. This doesn't make me a bad person and shouldn't make me feel guilty... but it kinda does... cuz of course the people I'm talking about are my own family members. I think at the time I was reaching burnout and just needed space to breathe | recharge | reconnect... I think I found that or the beginnings of that at Kripalu. 

I've been taking care of/helping take care of my family since I was around 13. I know that there are people that have been in much worse situations... and I know that really, in some ways, I had it easy... This doesn't change the fact that I'm sometimes very tired of the feeling that I've been running (helping to run) a household forever. Groceries, breakfasts and lunches, school and work and exams and people needing to be ready on time, bills and oh no... is the house falling apart? I'm tired of that sometimes. It makes me feel as though I would like to live by myself for a while... and that's part of why I went off to Kripalu. 

Ironing today though and thinking bout this and realised that whilst it sometimes drives me crazy there is a certain peace to be found in doing the everyday, ordinary things. It's a feeling that I've had whilst washing dishes but... ironing? Today I think I just sank into the experience... being in the moment... breathing. There is also that bit of joy that comes with helping out others. It's something I need to be more aware of... try to experience more of. 

I know it's not always going to be easy - there are moments when I think that it's only my hands that are able to fill ice trays or take out the garbage or do any number of things - there are moments when I need to appreciate the brother's cooking or the father's handiness or the mother's presence. 

I'm trying though... and I guess that's the best anyone can do.

peace,

Ren