Responsible Citizen

That Barack Obama is still walking and talking at the same time is miraculous to me. Despite the relentless hatred directed toward him and his beautiful family, and the ruthless singleminded agenda to negate everything he proposes since the night of his inauguration in 2009, he keeps on keeping on. Of course, this is his job and he chose it. I suggest we have a job here too. It’s called being a responsible citizen.

I’m reminded of JFK’s provocative statement during his 1961 Inaugural speech: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”  

Mahatma Gandhi told us: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Let’s all own that: Let’s be Peace; be Love; be kindness. Let’s devote ourselves to sharing from a compassionate heart each and every day, wherever we are – whatever we're doing. 

Our commitment to this way of being can change the world.

Though ‘nobody’s perfect’, it continues to be my opinion that Barack Obama is playing chess and most of the rest of us are stumbling through checkers. Let’s drop the judgment. He needs us to have his back. Let’s support him with encouraging thoughts and prayers.

“The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems.” Mahatma Gandhi

Some Call It Love

I feel that our major job here is to be a blessing. I feel that we are all Light Beings. “Matter is energy. Energy is Light. We are all Light Beings.” (Albert Einstein) I also feel that we provide blessings to all by sharing the Light that’s ever present in our hearts. Some call it Love. 

So this morning I’m writing in my little corner and I hear a really loud ambulance siren. In the past it’s been my pattern to send Light to whomever was in trouble at the other end of that siren. 

Today, there was another layer to that blessing. Sound is Light also, and I suddenly became aware of the service that this harsh, strident, screeching, piercing, shrill, grating siren is providing. 

It’s for all of us to perk up and pay attention and envision the siren (the Sound of Light) saturating the ambulance’s destination – the site and all the people involved – with the healing power of Light. 

Some call it Love.

Morning Blessings

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about our being a blessing to each other and our world everyday.  And this morning I’m walking in the park on this perfectly gorgeous day, and walking south on the other side of the median are two dogs on leash. The one on the right of its person is a Golden Retriever and it's strolling along wagging its tail, exuding happy it seemed. 

I felt blessed.  

A few minutes later, over there on the same stretch of walkway there’s a baby in a stroller, angled so that he can see over to my side and he’s grinning from ear to little ear. 

I felt blessed. 

Then I passed a groupette of little dogs with their people and two of them left the schmooze and came over and gave me a nose. So dear. 

Blessed again. 

So glad I took a walk this morning.

Gratitude – The Download

Gratitude has been the cornerstone of my life for many years and was the title of my first cassette recording. I had come through an arduous physical ordeal, and wanted to thank everyone who had helped me to recover. Singing for them seemed like a good idea, so with Richard Shulman, at keyboards (also creating arrangements) and Ron Young on guitar, accompanying his own original pieces, “Children of Light” and “Prince of Peace”, we recorded some songs I was currently singing a lot in a little studio in Soho.

The year was 1985. Another lifetime ago!

We gave it to lots of people and ultimately it ended up on The New Age Market. Recently it occurred to us to make “Gratitude” available for download at CDBaby. 

I’m thrilled to say that that has happened and I invite you to come and listen and download “Gratitude” – 

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/elizabethhepburn6 . 

Hope you enjoy! 

The Red Rose

I have a very strong feeling to introduce you to this beautiful rose. It’s a photograph of a painting by my brother, Charlie, who passed in April 2013. He was an extremely prolific artist, but this rose is an exceptionally poignant gift to my life now. I wanted to share it and my beloved big brother with everyone.

http://CJHepburn.com/index.html 

Charlie's devoted daughter, Terry, a gifted photographer, is responsible for this picture. Thank you, Terry

Love – The Currency of Life

Several inspiring thoughts have landed lately. I'm very "greatfull".*

At the Integrative Healthcare Symposium** last week I heard someone mention being in the current of life, which I immediately interpreted as being in the flow. Then, almost at once, I thought of current as the 'now'. Hmmm, that's  good too. Then this morning in Neville Goddard's book "The Power of Awareness" I read: "You must stop spending your thoughts, time and money. Everything in life must be an investment. To spend is to waste, to squander, to lay out without return. To invest is to lay out for a purpose from which a profit is expected. This is all about the importance of the moment – the transformation of the moment. It is only what is done now that counts." Current!

Then yesterday, a friend suggested thinking of each day as a blank canvas, on which to create this work of art which is our life. Not a new thought for me, but a great reminder. How delightful it can be to feel each morning that we have a whole day to experience and express as much beauty, integrity, kindness, humor, courage and Love as we can imagine. In this daily-recurring new beginning, we can choose to be current – vibrantly alive – in Love.  

And lastly, I pick up my beloved little "The Quiet Mind" book and open to: "Trust and never forget that the true way is the way of Love. Flowers do not force their way with great strife. Flowers open to perfection slowly in the sun."

* “greatfull” – When we're feeling gratitude, we're full of The Great.

** http://www.ihsymposium.com/annual-conference/