Taking a Good Look at Our Values: Part Two

"Meaning is about making a difference, not having an audience."

~Adam Grant

In the second part of this article, we will continue the exploration of our values and how we can utilize them in a positive and constructive manner that benefits the whole. We have a choice in the matter. We don’t have to continue down the path of self-centeredness, disconnection, and heartlessness. If we wish to transform and heal our world, we have to move from an ego-centric perspective to a heart-centered way of being.

In our society, the youth are worshipped. Getting older is not accepted. In fact, many will do everything in their power to push old age away. We may die our hair, apply wrinkle cream, or even get plastic surgery. Personally, I was sucked into the youth scam. I used to color my hair to hide the gray. My ego-self enjoyed being told I looked young for my age. However, one day I decided to stop pretending and accept it. I let the gray grow out, realizing that I can’t control the aging process. At some point in the future, our bodies will eventually die. We can’t run away from this. Of course, from a spiritual perspective, there is no death, only a changing of forms. Nonetheless, we only have a finite time in this current reality.

Although it’s not fun to watch our bodies deteriorate over time, it’s a blessing to acquire wisdom and knowledge and be able to utilize what we’ve learned and experienced to enrich the lives of others. An older person should never be made to feel irrelevant, and, along the same line, the older person has a responsibility to help guide the younger generations.

Getting older should be seen as a constructive force. We can use our life experience and wisdom to enrich the lives of others and assist those in need.

One day, while sifting through some DVDs at one of the local movie vending machines, I was appalled by the huge number of action films showing the main character holding a gun. These characters were typically dressed in stylish clothes, looking cool as can be. With domestic violence, murder, rape, and acts of terrorism a huge problem in the world, why are we romanticizing violence on the big screen? And why are we creating films in which people are being tortured and sawed up? We wouldn’t be stuffing our faces with popcorn if we saw that on the nightly news!

I want to make it clear as day that we are never going to get rid of violence in the world if we continue to glorify it on television, films, and video games. Violence breeds violence. The same is true with war. If we are constantly going to war with every country under the sun, we will never create peace on earth.

It’s time to raise our level of consciousness and be mindful of our behavior. We give power to that which we give our energy and time to. Let’s shift our focus on creating more peace and harmony in the world, instead of a place filled with violence, hatred, and division. How can we do this?

We can begin each day with prayer, meditation, or visualization. Imagine loving, peaceful, and harmonious energy radiating from our heart center, blessing those in need. Let’s set the positive example and be a light onto the world.

Peace begins with each and every one of us.

Although it’s essential to be able to take care of our family, it should never be at the cost of our children’s well-being. Society wants us to believe that the absent parent that puts work first is only sacrificing their time. It’s okay, “I’ll spoil my kid with gifts and a trip to the local amusement park. That should make up for the lost time.” Not true. You can’t get back the lost time. With only 24 hours in a day, there is no way to possibly nurture and take care of our children if a majority of our time is spent at work. Children need our love, time, support, encouragement, and interaction. If we are not physically there, how can we possibly connect with them, talk about their day, listen to their dreams, teach them right from wrong, or engage in play? We can’t! We are too busy being the superstar employee, rather than the nurturing and attentive parent.

The first seven years of a child’s life are extremely important. It is vital that we take care of their needs during this critical period. If we don’t, we are setting them up for failure. As parents, it is our responsibility to set our children up for success. In order to do that, we have to make sure that their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs are met. We have to take an interest in their dreams and aspirations. We play a crucial part in helping them find their life purpose.

Our children are our future. Let’s nurture, love, and give them the tools to help them live their lives to their full potential.

Society and the powers that be prefer that we attach to our ego. It is the part of us that sees the world through the eyes of separation and division. Instead of searching for truth and deeper meaning, the ego wants to quickly slap a label on things. It’s mainly concerned with the needs, desires, and wants of the individual. The ego asks, “What’s in it for me?” By attaching to our egos we have become disconnected from ourselves and each other.

In truth, we are all connected. What we do to others, we do to ourselves. If we hurt or harm another person, we are actually hurting a part of ourselves. However, the ego will trick us into believing there is no connection. It wants to keep the game going; it wants to keep the illusion alive. By attaching to our egos and not our Divine Nature, we have become stuck. We are failing to see that we all have a role in this grand play that we call life.

If we don’t want greed, corruption, hatred, and division to be our current reality, then we need to connect to our Divine Nature. Our Divine Nature is the part of us that is loving, nurturing, compassionate, helpful, supportive, and encouraging. It is time to push the ego aside and step into our true nature.

Beautiful and amazing things happen when we connect to the divine place of love within our hearts.

I want us to imagine a society that is kind, thoughtful, loving, compassionate, appreciative, forgiving, encouraging, respectful, caring, and supportive of one another. In this society:

• We connect to our Divine Nature
• We treat the body as a sacred temple
• We live in peace and harmony with each other and the environment
• We value our elders and accept the aging process
• We recognize that we are all connected
• We are nurturing and attentive parents
• We embrace the Golden Rule
• And live an appreciative and simple life.

This is not some fairytale or some pie in the sky ideal.

This can be our reality. We can do this!

We have the power and potential to do extraordinary things. However, this will require us to step into our hearts, do the hard work, and challenge the status quo. Are you up to the challenge? Are you ready to help create a better world?

Let’s shift our mindset that’s geared towards the individual to a mindset that profoundly benefits the whole. Heaven can be a place on earth.