Articles

Fall 2006 Newsletter

by Cyndi Bulka

Negotiating This Challenging World

              Lately I’ve been ruminating on the saying “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”   Much as I enjoy lemonade and like to consider myself a half-full glass kind of person, I’ve been struggling with the syrupy sentimentality of this old colloquialism.  Some days, it just doesn’t make sense.  Sometimes the lemons are just too big to get a grip around to squeeze any kind of juice from.  Sometimes I feel as if that unwieldy lemon just about flattens me.

              Recently it seems there has been an inordinate amount of bad news in the world.  Old wars, new wars, world wars, global warming, natural disasters, starvation, disease, crime…the list could go on.  I find myself needing to temper my relationship with the news so that I don’t get lost in the sadness and sense of helplessness I often feel when I watch or listen.  I have gotten angry, felt defeated, and felt overwhelmed.  I’ve contemplated, meditated, prayed, and decided that the best thing I can do with this big lemon is to cut it up into pieces I can handle, and then do something that is meaningful to me and hopefully helpful in some measure.

              We all feel passionate about different things in our lives, and that passion can motivate us to become better people, partners, parents, friends, citizens.  When we are engaged with our intimate circle of family and friends, it is easier to act with kindness and compassion and take an active role in bettering a specific relationship or situation.  When we contemplate the larger challenges of the planet and the world community, it can be overwhelming and harder to find the energy to take an active role in affecting any kind of change.

              The path of Yoga leads us to the realization that we are all One.  The AIDS orphan in Africa, the soldier in Israel, the insurgent in Iraq, the gang member, the displaced family from the latest natural disaster; we are One.  With so much suffering in the world, it’s hard to feel the same kind of compassion for those we believe are creating distress for others as for those who are victims of their offense.  I often find it easier to muster anger and judgment than to mobilize grace and forgiveness.  But it is from a place of grace and forgiveness that I am able to find the energy to consciously act and not be swept away in the overwhelming feeling that the problems of the world are beyond my reach to remedy.

              I believe that there are things we can all do on a daily basis that can contribute to the healing of this planet.  From the simple compassion shown to a stranger in need of a hand, to the choice we make about the resources we consume and waste we create, to the effort we make to educate and inform ourselves and others, to sharing our wealth and resources with others in need, and the more magnanimous projects that extend us beyond our daily lives, we CAN make a difference.  When we extend ourselves both in simple, consistent small ways as well as larger efforts, we begin to feel more a part of our world and perhaps a bit less bowled over and soured by the lemons of life.

              I’ve created a list of simple things we can all do that together can make a difference.  I hope you’ll consider them, and pass them on. 

Small Steps to Save the World

1. Use compact florescent light bulbs.  If every American household did this, it would be the equivalent of taking 8 million cars off the road.
2. Buy recycled products.  Purchase goods in recyclable containers.  Use 100% biodegradable household cleaners.  Consider organic alternatives.
3. Drive a gas conscious car.  Keep it well-tuned to maintain efficiency.  Replace that SUV with a hybrid.  Carpool.
4. Purchase only energy-efficient appliances and consider replacing outdated inefficient ones.
5. Practice random acts of kindness.  Cultivate peace by being peaceful.  Mentor a child.
6. Sign up for blocks of Green Power (electricity generated from renewable resources).  www.NCGreenPower.org
7. Support a non-profit that works to find solutions and educates our leaders.  www.edf.org  www.nrdc.org  www.ewg.org  www.sierraclub.org   Sign up for the virtual march against global warming.  www.stopgl o balwarming.org
8. Weatherize your home.  Seal, caulk, and insulate.  In the winter, set your thermostat at 68° in the daytime and 55° at night. In the summer, keep it at 78°.
9. Be mindful of water usage.  Take shorter showers.  Install a low-flow showerhead and toilet.  Fix leaky faucets.
10. Share your wealth.  Donate generously to an organization that speaks to your heart.  Volunteer.  Invest responsibly.

We are all stewards of the planet and citizens of the world.  When one suffers, we all do; when healing begins with us, it spreads.  Commit to doing what you can to create consciousness and take action.  Use your passion to make a difference.  Be One with the world, and maybe, just maybe, we can be part of a great healing.

 ©Cyndi Bulka July 27 , 2006