I believe that through deep and honest dialogue and communication between cultures, races, genders, religions and ideas, mutual understanding and the discovery of our common humanity and aspirations can and will be found. This is a dialogue that cannot be realized only through the intellect, but even more important through the feelings of the Heart.
I believe that through an honoring of the richness of our diversity, and our diverse views and values, a pathway to our fundamental unity can also be revealed. Through an appreciation and acknowledgement of our common struggles and needs, as viewed by one towards another, a heartfelt empathy and appreciation of the vulnerability and preciousness of each of us may be achieved.
In all of this is a vision that sees the potentiality of a convergence of all peoples towards a higher plane of unity, love, creative possibility and fulfillment; and the realization of a next step for humanity on Earth.
Under no illusions, it is understood that there lurks within each of us the brewing of the survival mind -- the possibility to become overwhelmed by fear, to descend into intolerance, cruelty, excessive greed, violence and limiting, destructive beliefs. I believe, however, that sometimes through the process of human struggle, compassion can emerge when people are encouraged to see themselves in others, and others in themselves. I also believe that through the power inherent in each of us to choose and to focus our consciousness on the light rather than the darkness, that the seeds of kindness, love, hope, understanding, freedom with responsibility, and encouragement can be planted and sewn.
I choose to believe that genuine creative and spiritual fulfillment is each person's birthright, and that constructive self-empowerment can take the place of hopelessness, despair, suppression and repression. I choose to believe that a poverty of consciousness and materiality can be supplanted with a consciousness of life's sweetness, of its preciousness, abundance, creative potential and unlimited possibility.
I choose to believe that a new light of promise and hope can be enkindled, illuminating the way for a truly brighter and better future for everyone.
We've come to a fragile and vulnerable point in our evolution. Technology can be a tool for great and unparalleled achievement, communication, comfort and convenience, but without the guiding hand of wisdom and compassion, it can be the instrument for terrible destruction and suffering.
Let us choose technology, as here, to advance our heartfelt and soulful connection as humans. Let us be open to listening to one another. Let us be open to agreeing to disagree. Let us agree to soften our hardened positionalities of "us versus them." And as humans, let us pledge to enter into communication - dialogue - recognizing we are members of one human family, on one planet Earth. When we do this, let us be open to seeing that the outcome of this coming together is that we have much more in common than apart.
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Mike Schwager is a speech writer, radio talk show host, a writer of spiritual/humanitarian articles, spiritual/humanitarian blogger, media interview coach, publicist and reputation repair consultant. His websites: www.mediamavens (dot) com, www.TVtraining (dot) tv, www.EnrichOurWorld (dot) net, and host of The Enrichment Hour on www.WSRadio (dot) com. E-mail him at: moschwager@aol.com.