This article was inspired by the latest Musings. When the voice in my head started in on a campaign of “coming up with something to write about,” I decided to play with it. I just sat quietly and watched Life suggest. It is an amazing process to see the suggestions arise and the nearly immediate dismissal: How about we read some practice items? “What?! That has nothing to do with writing the article!” Awareness was quick enough to sneak in the “Yes!” before the dismissal took hold.
What I ended up reading was someone in Sangha talking about the energy and power created from simply showing up and participating. That reminds me of Joyce Banda, a Living Compassion parent living with HIV who comes to the property in Kantalomba after work to volunteer! How simple it would be for Joyce NOT to make that choice. Yet, it is easy to project from the look on her face in this photo sent to us by Theresa that Joyce takes delight in volunteering.
Then, in another reading, someone was talking about how many challenges there were in 2016 and the gratitude felt toward Sangha for the support not only to get through the challenges but to thrive and look forward to the new year of possibilities!
Speaking of facing challenges, there’s Blessings, a grade 7 student in the Girls Program who, when she received her passing national exam scores opening the door to grade 8, went racing to the Living Compassion property to share the news! These girls are pioneers in their families—going to levels of education no one before them has. The challenges are huge and as they succeed they want to share that success with their Living Compassion family!
Then, in a third reading, someone talking about using the holidays as an opportunity to stay present to the countless blessings we so often take for granted made me think of these adorable faces. On Christmas day the food program at the property went on as always. While the cooperative members themselves would have the means to take the day off and create a special holiday meal for their families, they knew none of the rest of the 1,000 children’s families could do the same. They gathered to cook and eat their usual menu and gratitude was the secret, festive ingredient!
In one of the last entries I read someone commented that they could have written each one. Amen! The content of our lives may be all kinds of things, the challenges varied (not having clean water to drink, losing a corporate job, living with HIV, fear of the direction of the political landscape, not having funds to feed or educate one’s children, losing a home to foreclosure, afraid of one’s house collapsing in heavy rains, losing a loved one…) but the processes are the same. It seems we all thrive on participation, support, gratitude and generosity!
And Life has offered us a New Year’s gift with an opportunity to experience the greatest of all our “tools”—unconditional love. Meet Baby Peace, the newest member of the Josephine crew!
Be sure to check out the recent postings from Theresa to see more photos. There are many New Year’s greetings to each of you!
Happy 2017, a year of Joy!
In gassho
Jen