Within our daily lives, we are bombarded by the complexities of a fast-paced world and challenged by a fierce sense of competition that strives to engulf us. We seem to have grown numb and sadly accustomed to the daily headlines depicting war and poverty, starvation and deprivation. We seem to be hard-wired into receiving streaming images from TV, film, print and our social media, fiercely flashing before us at strobe-light speed, yet never quite lingering long enough for us to take a really deep look into the energetics behind the images.
Recently, I viewed film footage of young kids being pepper-sprayed at UC Davis -- intelligent college students exercising their first amendment rights to peaceably assemble -- and it was horrifying. It seems to me that one of the primary reasons we send our children to college is so that they may learn to expand their capacity to think as individuals and to respond in responsible ways to their environment. Not only are they at college to learn about their unique majors of interest, but also to expand the platform from which they interact with the world they live in, and subsequently, express their concerns and beliefs in positive and peaceful ways. This is one of the great opportunities of growing up in a free society. This is part of becoming a more open and inclusive human being; learning about different perspectives and respecting and valuing the right of others to be think their own thoughts and be their own unique selves.
I do not have the emotional ability to grasp how a grown adult would be able to conscionably spray this toxic and excruciatingly painful substance into the faces of these young people, who were peacefully and responsibly expressing their concerns for the world they find themselves growing up in. If you have not seen these images, imagine the spray of a small fire extinguisher, directed at these kids, as they were exploring what it felt like to express themselves in a peaceful, yet empowering way.
It really doesn't matter what they were protesting -- there will always be contrasting and conflicting perspectives on how life should be lived. But what does matter is how we respond to one another within our lives; to one another's thoughts and personal expressions.
To create peace within our world, we need to look within ourselves to that place where conscience and creativity resides. From within this creative reservoir, the gift of personal expression is born with an exuberance and desire to channel in the joy and love of Dynamic Peace. We need to respect and value the creative expressions of all people, provided they do no harm to others. Perhaps these pepper-sprayers have forgotten what inspires them. Perhaps they have forgotten how to express their own creativity within their own lives, and sadly have chosen to repress the right of others to do so.
Live your own peace within -- without it, we will never be able to enjoy this magnificent world to its fullest.