Many people have told me, “You can’t have it all”. I’ve been hearing that my whole life. And having a daughter careening her way through her two’s is a daily reminder of how strong the human will is and how desperately it latches onto what it perceives as need. I try to think back to being her age, which is challenging, and attempt to find the turning point in my life when I learned to be okay with “not having it all”. Guess what I found… I have never learned it. I’m still the tenacious, headstrong gal who wants everything “my way” and still do. Why not? The thing is, I learned how to communicate my needs/wants to others in a way that I was heard and not discounted. But more importantly, I discovered the difference between selfish needs and needs that serve others as well. When I realized people are truly willing and wanting to give and be a part of something bigger, say community, it was only a matter of time before it became a focus in my life.
I majored in communications because I’ve always been fascinated by humans (perhaps my favorite species on the planet next to whales and dolphins) and how we communicate. I was fortunate enough to have gifted and committed professors who brought the theoretical study into practical applications and we had classes completely focussed on how communication affects the masses and mass media and the policies that govern it. One professor asked, “Who is the agency behind the curtain, pulling all the strings (deciding what we see on TV)?” And now, decades later, with the ubiquitous nature of television, films and the internet, it behooves us all to be aware of how we are being manipulated and how those images are affecting our actions, or even more deeply… our subconscious. The advertisers are still in control. We don’t have television in our house so on the rare occasion we do see commercials, it’s scary how many of them are ads for pharmaceuticals! Again, our two and a half year old wonder-sponge is the constant reminder of the intense power of media. She is easily impregnated with ideas and images that her little mind sees and we find ourselves telling her “none of this is real”. And it continues as my mantra in the adult world, “None of this is real”.
I know I sound like a fanatic, but now’s the time to be fanatical people. Now is the time to speak out and be heard. As defined by Webster, fanatical means, “excessively enthusiastic about a particular belief, cause, or activity”. Yes, we have a new president, a very promising one, and even he has made the call to action. As a close friend who works in Washington DC just reminded me, “This government was never intended to last. It’s amazing we’ve lasted this long.” This is a critical time in history and all of us are accountable. Nothing happens now that we cannot take full responsibility for because there are many ways to get involved.
We need to hear from you. Please check out Poltical Action Center and submit articles and actions you find worthy of sharing… participate in our Global Community forum. VoiceYourself is here to share issues that need our attention and offer easy online information and actions when appropriate. We need to arm ourselves with knowledge. Again, the internet has become a powerful tool in this arena.
These are extremely challenging times for everyone. Local businesses are closing at a frightening rate in our area and people are scared. Everyone is scampering to make ends meet. It is a time for all of us to take stock of our lives, our actions and how we can best serve the whole and not just ourselves. It’s a tall order for some, but most of the folks I’ve encountered are regarding it as an invitation to be part of something great… part of the revival of America and in turn, responsible citizens who are members of the global community.
Life with our youngest is a non-stop lesson in patience and compassion, as well as a reminder of how glorious and wonderful life can be. In these challenging and remarkable times, it helps to remember we were all two once and patience and compassion still go a long way.
