What Can I Do?

What can I do, Lord? The world is a mess. We are bombarded by news of unrest and war, and yet I have the notion that we are being tested – as the children of a benevolent spirit. When I hear of war delivered daily and hourly through advanced technology, I look back through the history of our species and see that evil often triumphs over good and boys scarce out of childhood fight for the ideal of freedom and peace. I cannot help but ask how can this be the path to harmony? We live in a society where it seems evil-doers are blessed with plenty and those born in poverty and despair live day to day in fear for their very existence. And yet it is the poor who work to change the world while many of the well-to-do struggle to protect their precious wealth. We are bombarded by schemes that promise riches beyond counting delivered largely to those who climb on the backs of others in order to increase their supply. How can this be when there are those whole families who sleep homeless on the streets and small children comb the city’s dumps in order to find just one morsel of food, one pair of shoes? Ancient Mayan prophets have written the end of the world next year, but the prophecy remains unclear: Will our race fall to the rage of war? Or will mankind claim peace and harmony and create an entirely new civilization based on love and responsibility? If anyone knows, they aren’t telling. I would like to see the latter. I have come through a lifetime of struggle, a battle that taught me faith and gave me the belief that there is a higher power ready to provide when all seems hopeless. I have known poverty, and the wealth of knowing my needs will be met – even when that end does not seem clear. When I reach the end of my strength, I turn my problems over to that power and offer myself to the resolution. And so, today, looking at the hoards of individuals lobbying for peace in the cities of our land, I see a replay of the unrest the poor have rallied to ask for a more even distribution of not only wealth, but opportunity; and I see this across the world. I have but little in the greater things, but I have this: I can ask what spirit requires of me to tip the balance. What is required of me, one single person in a world of billions of souls? I am not a healer, I deal with words. I am not a lawyer to fiddle with the law, turning it to the protection of the rich and criminal – and sometimes to the woes of the poor – if the settlement looks large enough. I wrestle with ideas. I am not a politician, who promises much and votes for the very thing they promised to protect. I look for truth in the reflections of the past and carry hope for the future. I do not care what god you worship. All gods are good who raise humanity. All I ask is to be given a task, one thing I can do to improve the world …. And one thing more. I ask that each soul in this place ask the same. Just think what millions of good acts could do! What can I do? At the very least Friend, look on the sunny side. You might be surprised in what you see. Love, Terry