green thoughts

Friends, I already know WAY more than I want to know about how messed up our world is, and how it got this way. If you, Dear Reader, desire to learn more about those topics, there are abundant resources available online, in libraries and bookstores, street corners, broadcast news — pretty much anywhere you look. As for me, I’m retraining my brain in the belief that our thoughts create our reality and have declared my own personal sabbatical from taking in any more information about how bad it is!

My sabbatical project is to soak up inspiration for positive change; and to continue/magnify my ongoing personal actions for positive change. Am consciously, intentionally focusing my attention on groups and people who are finding ways to make a difference for the better, right now.

I invite you to join me, even if you still need to study how bad it is and why. You can at least give yourself breaks from that pursuit, and visit some inspiring websites: I’ve just added links to some of my tip top faves today. Books, movies, magazines, and more rambles to follow soon!

So a few months ago, some friends met and put together a list of planks they’d like to see in the platforms of folks running for public office. One of us e-mailed the list out to the group and asked if that covered it all. Since I hadn’t been to the meeting, I of course had to add my two cents. My efforts to copy and paste the group list and my additions have turned out messy, so I’ll have to try again when I’m not rushing to get to work — but here’s a teaser, one of my favorite additions to the list:

–Create a Department of Peace, with a cabinet-level director (I suggest the Dalai Lama, Ram Dass, Ry Cooder or Nina Utne). The department is funded with the money that used to make up 25% of the defense budget. Within 5-10 years, the percentages reverse, so that the Peace Department gets 75% and DOD gets 25% or less. My ideal DOP is staffed with generous numbers of mothers, grandmothers, First Nation elders, musicians, artists, poets, teachers, investigative journalists, veterans of war, healers, shamans, and leaders from many diverse traditions with histories of cultivating peace. Community process is how decisions are made (a la my favorite Utopian novel, The Fifth Sacred Thing)

Wishing you peace in the holidays and always — more planks later –