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A Christmas and New Year Message from Kamran and Anne Mofid*
This is the time of the year when we need to stand back and remind ourselves of what are the most valuable gifts that life has offered us.
“He that seeks the good of the many seeks in consequence his own good.” -St. Thomas Aquinas
"God loves a cheerful giver." -St. Paul
"A loyal friend is beyond price – a loyal friend is the elixir of life." -The Bible
Let us see where we stand. The clouds of destruction are gathering all over the world. The world today is facing a multitude of crises in politics, economics, finance, banking, energy, food, environment and education, amongst others, simultaneously, resulting in much uncertainty, fear and anxiety. Moreover, the rapid and unsustainable rise in consumerism and materialism has seriously destroyed the fabric of society, and has catastrophically weakened the ethical, moral and spiritual dimensions of our communities. In short, the world is facing a crisis of values.
There is acute suffering in the world, starvation, untreated disease, and much war. Also there are so many wandering in darkness while hungering for hope. In such a world let us go about giving love, compassion, kindness and generosity to all. Let us serve the poor and broken ones, serve our brothers and sisters, and serve birds and beasts and all creation in whom dwells the breath of life. A life so lived, is serving the essence of the common good. Moreover, let us not waste energy in obtuse and arcane questions and controversies; countless theories about who is right and who is wrong. Instead, let us light a few candles at the altar of a suffering humanity. We must come to that altar properly prepared, in a spirit of right understanding that all mankind is one. We are all each others’ keepers.
These many crises are a wakeup call to action, to see things as they are. Impending catastrophe for our species and our planet is gathering strength unless we act in time. We should search with an open mind for the wisdom we need to transform our economic system to a sustainable path, grounded in ecological reality, with respect for justice and dignity for all, and our appreciation for nature and our kinship for all living things.
We should not allow ourselves to be led away from this Path. It is crucial at this juncture in human history, perhaps as never before, for us to transcend the body to have flight into the higher regions to “know-thyself” and to see that we are all a drop in the Great Ocean of Consciousness. Radiate love to all creation. Let us breathe this out through every pore of our body: 'love and peace be unto all, the world over'. This power of peace and goodwill has the power to overcome the forces of destruction that have coalesced around us.
Each action has a reaction. As we sow goodness and kindness, so we shall reap love, wisdom, peace, and harmony. Let our physical sojourn be sweetly ethical, loving, co-operative and tolerant. Be watchful. We are not perfect. There may be failures on our part and misunderstandings amongst us. The former, should be met with by the motto of forgiveness and reconciliation and the latter by reconciling them to mutual loving contacts, mutual respect and the consideration for the common good.
This is what our Globalisation for the Common Good is all about– a heart-based social participation movement that acknowledges and encourages the goodness that surrounds us each and every day. It is our collective opportunity to collaborate locally, nationally and globally to inspire and highlight the kindness, caring, dignity and honesty that is the natural and greater part of our daily experience. Simply stated, “Every one has a heart; it is time to let it shine.” Ultimately it is our heart that guides us and our compassion that motivates us to help one another.
The courage and dedication of countless people striving to live for the common good; in peace, genuine kindness and in harmony with one another and with the Mother Earth is extraordinary. Despite the many ongoing challenges, we at GCGI, strive to set aside our differences and work diligently in our daily encounters with each other in order to truly serve and help one another.
Christmas happened 2000 years ago, when the Baby was born; but in a very real sense it is happening all over again. The newborn "babies" are all men and women who are becoming global citizens, committed to human solidarity, economic and ecological sustainability and consideration for the common good. Let us pray for them and work with them, that we all may grow in wisdom and stature for the good of humanity and all the creation.
And let us in 2013 we all come together and share a common belief in the potential of each one of us to become self-directed, empowered, and active in defining this time in the world as opportunity for positive change and healing and for the true formation of a culture of peace by giving thanks, spreading joy, sharing love, seeing miracles, discovering goodness, embracing kindness, practicing patience, teaching moderation, encouraging laughter, celebrating diversity, showing compassion, turning from hatred, practicing forgiveness, peacefully resolving conflicts, communicating non-violently, choosing happiness and enjoying life.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Kamran Mofid, Founder, Globalisation for the Common Good Initiative (GCGI)
Anne Mofid, Founding Executive Secretary, (GCGI)
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Just Say THANK YOU
"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you,"that would suffice." -(Meister Eckhart)
“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”― Ralph Waldo Emerson
“We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.” ― John F. Kennedy
Let us be thankful to Mother Earth for all we have
"We give-away our thanks to the earth
which gives us our home.
We give-away our thanks to the rivers and lakes
which give-away their water.
We give-away our thanks to the trees
which give-away fruits and nuts.
We give-away our thanks to the wind
which brings rain to water the plants.
We give-away our thanks to the sun
who gives-away warmth and light.
All beings on earth: the trees, the animals, the wind
and the rivers give-away to one another
so all is in balance.
We give-away our promise to begin to learn
how to stay in balance with all the earth." -(Dolores La Chapelle)
and Let us be thankful for the angels in our life for who we are
Angels in our life...
Some people come into our lives through strange coincidences.
Their presence seems mysterious, but they are here for a reason.
We don't always understand where they come from or why they manifest in our life. Usually they are compassionate individuals who we have attracted by something we have said or done.
But sometimes their light is so bright and their words are so kind and warm that we feel we are experiencing angels in the form of a human being.
After a while we can't stop thinking about them.
Sometimes they become our friends, companions, partners, mentors or guardians.
Their main purpose is to guide us and support us through difficult times.
They are here to help us discover our inner strengths and our own beauty.
They give us hope and encouragement when we feel lonely or discouraged.
They make us believe in ourselves and trust our intuition.
They give us the inspiration we need to find our hidden creativity.
They show us new perspectives and help us fulfil our dreams.
They teach us the importance of patience and that never giving up is our greatest power.
They show us that even the smallest act of caring has the potential to turn a life around.
They help us realize that being alone does not mean being lonely. Solitude can help us grow.
They teach us how to change our attitude by using the magic of positive thinking.
They help us change old thought-patterns and misconceptions in our subconscious mind.
They teach us the power of gratitude and that being thankful for what we have can change our life.
They help us realize that what we thought we wanted is not always what we need.
They help us realize that disappointments can often be blessings in disguise.
They help us realize that we sometimes have to protect ourselves by leaving negative people and environments.
They help us realize that life is short and that we can control our destiny by making the right choices.
They help us realize that being positive is good, but that saying no is often the right thing to do.
They help us realize that when we feel happy or miserable, it is often a direct result of our ability to say no.
They help us realize how important it is to avoid pressures from other people and to trust our gut feeling.
They help us realize that if we listen to too much advice, we may wind up making other people's mistakes.
They help us realize that we often have to create the circumstances we need.
They help us realize that giving is more important and satisfying than receiving.
They show us that helping others can be an amazing way to help ourselves.
They show us how we can use our own experience to help others.
They support us when we need to let go of painful emotions from our past.
They teach us how to heal our own pain and sorrow and how to help others heal their pain and sorrow.
They comfort us when we need a hug or a shoulder to cry on.
They teach us about the importance of affection, tenderness and the joys of love.
They make us come alive, enjoy every moment and experience real happiness.
They open our hearts and minds to beautiful thoughts and emotions.
They help us connect with our true self and to open our soul.
They show us our deepest purpose and the meaning of life.
They give us a sense of belonging here on planet Earth.
Let us be thankful for the angels in our life.
If you wish to read more:
Why Love, Trust, Respect and Gratitude Trumps Economics
http://gcgi.info/kamrans-blog/177-why-love-trust-respect-and-gratitude-trumps-economics
Opening Remarks: In Gratitude for your Friendship and Support
http://gcgi.info/2012-oxford-papers/298-opening-remarks-in-gratitude-for-your-friendship-and-support
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“Come with me…cross the ocean of grief and beyond”
“And till my ghastly tale is told
This heart within me burns”
Samuel Taylor Coleridge-Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
Watch this short video (3:55): an island which is located in the Pacific Ocean, 2000 km from the nearest coastline. On this island, there are no humans - only birds and yet see what has happened...
A short film that everyone should see and feel the inhumanity of what we have collectively done and are responsible for…