Hope for our inalienable rights to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

There's Hope

Yesterday, the eve of Inauguration 2017 in USA, was hard. I felt exhausted all day and with evening came a simmering anger. I was not pleasant to be around. I felt like I was walking into a bad arranged marriage.  Trying to console myself that it would only be four years did not work. It's not hard to image the damage that can be done in four years.  To people, to culture, to society, to systems.

I put three tasks before myself:
1) Develop a tool for citizen action based on the book "Becoming a Citizen Activist."
2) Write the first petitions the Happiness Alliance would ever write. One callis on all Mayors in the USA to pass resolutions to protect the inalienable right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness for ALL people. The other calling on all national leaders to appoint Happiness Ministers and Cabinets of Happiness.

By 11:30 pm, I was done, and had done all I could that day. Was it enough? Time would tell, Maybe hardly anyone would sign the petitions, and they would go unnoticed, unheaded. But one does what one can, and then turns it over to a higher power.  I needed to rest, to take the time to go inward. But there did not feel like there was enough time. That, my dharma teacher says, is exactly when you must take the time.  So today, I plan to take at least one hour today and go inward. Sit in silence, see what will emerge. Tears maybe, the tumult of fear, anger, denial, bargaining...ideas, inspiration, maybe even a sense of peace.  But most important, is that I will be taking care of myself.

The link between taking care of yourself and doing the work that is needed and will be necessary if we are going to realize a sustainable tomorrow and today where there is hope for a government, economy and society that puts the well-being and happiness of people before the goals of unfettered economic growth and the rich getting richer.

My hope is that the work we are all doing for the good of our brothers and sisters on two legs, on four legs, in the air and on the ground will be a success.  I send that wish of love out today.