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Dear friends,

The two short essays below are meant to fill your day with inspiration, meaning, and delight. The first fun-filled essay is written by a wonderfully witty friend of mine, Steve Bhaerman, whose pen name is Swami Beyondanda. Steve's unusual attitude in his own words is "the best way to illuminate the darkness is to make light of it." This second piece is a potent poem by an unknown author. "Help Us to Remember" is a moving reminder that we are all human and deserving of respect. Enjoy these inspiring writings and don't forget to spread the joy and meaning to your friends and family.

With very best wishes,
Fred Burks for PEERS and the WantToKnow.info Team


What Is It All About? — by Swami Beyondanda
http://www.wakeuplaughing.com

In this dogma-eat-dogma world where fear is fueled by terrorism -- not to mention anti-terrorism -- I say it’s time to declare all out peace. Those of us who’ve been developing inner peace all these years, time to let it all out. Time to affirm everyone’s right to bear arms -- provided those arms are used for hugging. Instead of giving in to “fear gnomes” – those little gnomes of gnawing fear that have been injected into the body politic-- let’s get right to the heart of the matter.

Let's declare an emerge 'n see. Time to emerge from beliefs that no longer serve us and see how we humans have been tricked into behaving foolishly. Time to emerge 'n see beyond the dueling dualities to find solutions bigger than the problem. Time to emerge n' see there's no escape. God has us surrounded. Might as well surrender. We are all part of the inescapable Oneness.

One Spirit, many paths. One Planet, great diversity. One humanity, each of us totally unique ... just like everyone else.

I have often said that if we keep doing what we've always done, we will only get what we've always gotten. It stands to reason that if we try doing something new, we increase our chances of getting different results. So while it makes no sense to take up arms against warfare, it makes all the sense in the world to lift up arms and embrace anything that nourishes peace.

Now in this shrinking world that could definitely use a good shrink, it is understandable to look upward in hopes of the Messiah. But I say, we need to look at each other instead, and face the truth that we are looking the Messiah in the face. We have met the Savior and he is us! Here are all these children of God praying for Jesus to intervene, but we cannot expect to be fed intervenously forever. Time for children of God to grow up, for Goodness sake, and become adults of God instead. It turns out both the creationists and the evolutionists are right. The Creator created us to evolve in consciousness. Otherwise Jesus would have said, "Now, don't do a thing until I return."

I have a dream, so allow me to tell a vision. Each year at Passover, the Jewish people affirm the possibility of the Messiah: "Next year in Jerusalem." Next year always comes, and the Messiah never seems to come with it. Maybe it's time to make a break with the past and actually act as if the Messiah is already here. You know, fake it till you make it. So put it on your calendars. Next year let's celebrate Past Over in Jerusalem, and declare that the past is over and a new day has begun.

Hold this vision with me please: Leaders of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths together in celebration -- doing the Hokey Pokey. They put their whole selves in ... that is commitment. They pull their whole selves out ... that is detachment. They turn themselves around ... that is transformation. And that's what it's all about!


Note: To sign up for Swami Beyondananda's hilarious yet poignant emails, click here.


Help Us to Remember – Author Unknown

Help us to remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night
is a single mother who worked nine hours that day,
that she is rushing home to cook dinner and help with homework,
to do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man
who takes forever at the checkout stand, is a worried 19-year-old college student,
who is balancing his apprehension over final exams
with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us that the scary looking bum, begging for money
in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!)
is a slave to addictions
that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow
through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress
are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week,
this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive.
Let us show patience, empathy and love.

Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us,
but to all humanity.

Remind us each day that of all the gifts you give us,
the greatest gift is love.


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