Dear John, If there is not open space underneath it all, the pure universal substance (which I think of as the IAM energy and presence) there might not be a point to living when the living is such suffering. I believe that all life force is from this energy that is the infinite open space of all probabilities. Each of us who chooses life despite horrendous circumstances has some awareness of this connection, I think. I believe that the greatest gift that can be given in those circumstances and for those people is exactly what I believe YOU to be doing---opening space for them where and when you can, giving them an opportunity for HOPE. And even in the worst of situations, when the rest of us do not know what to do or how to achieve what seems impossible, I trust that the people, accessing the open space of the Creator will find their way.
I know that you would not be there helping if you didn't think a difference could be made, somehow. God bless you for your work and all that you do and are, Birgitt -----Original Message----- From: OSLIST [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of john engle Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 2:49 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: WAR IN IRAQ and other difficult realities dear mark, i appreciate your reminder. i do believe that it is easy for those of us who do experience much freedom in our daily lives and who are not constantly under the threat of violence to not be adequately conscious of the realities of those who are. for instance, birgitt, i read your words, "When you have this visual, it is a reminder that within the organization, no matter how closed it appears, is the open space." I am curious how you define open space. For instance, I know children in haiti who live in servitude. In the families where they live (is not a household of people-could be three could be 15-not an organization?), which are not their own. These children, called restaveks, number in the hundreds of thousands. They frequently get beat and are often abused sexually. They don't go to school. Many of the thousands of children that live on the streets of Port au Prince, were restaveks. Yes, we can say that there was enough space that they were able to escape, but to what? and, how many today, are still deciding to not escape but to endure beatings and sexual abuse because they know about the horrors that children who live on the streets endure. i know that i am offering a situation far from the norm. it just happens to be that which i see daily. i know personally many children and adults who have lived what i am talking about. thus, it was the norm for them. and, there are so many people in the world who might not have extremes such as this, but who do have other constraints in their space. i could talk about haitian women in sweatshops who sleep with bosses to keep their dollar a day job so that they can feed their children. or, how many hundreds of thousands of people today are living under curfew which means if they step out of their house they could be beaten, killed, arrested, etc. true, their is openness to the extent that they can decide to step out of their house. but, it is at risk of bodily harm. i'll stop rambling. thank you for reminding us about the pending war, mark. may we open our spirits to the hundreds of thousands of people in iraq who are wondering if they and their families will be bombed. ...and in addition to opening my spirit, what else should i be doing? john http://www.beyondborders.net/experiment.htm _________________________________________________________________ MSN Search, le moteur de recherche qui pense comme vous ! http://search.msn.fr/worldwide.asp * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected], Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html --- Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.459 / Virus Database: 258 - Release Date: 2/25/2003 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.459 / Virus Database: 258 - Release Date: 2/25/2003 * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected], Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
