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by Jo Condrill
The news media daily tells us about war, murder in our own
cities, hatred, and now the massacre at Virginia Tech.
We hear about hatred every day and we condone it. "Hate"
is part of our frequently used vocabulary. It seems we are
unaware of what that is teaching our children. Why should
we be surprised when someone explodes and commits heinous crimes if we have so
much hatred in our hearts?
Are we unable to change the course? What if for one day, we had a worldwide
"stand-down," a temporary cessation or suspension of business as usual, and
focused on what it means to love and be loved? To be kind and gentle?
Do we need a horrendous event to prod us into thinking of a higher ground?
Military units and firefighters have stand-downs; veterans organizations have
stand-downs for homeless veterans. Why can't ordinary citizens use a stand-down
to stop fighting ? and hurting each other? Why not have a private time to think
about your relationships? Can you sort them into "love" -- "hate" columns and
then merge the two closer to the "love" column What a different world it would
be if we stood down and focused on kindness and love. No child abuse, no
bickering and back stabbing, no cheating. Impossible! Fantasy? Maybe so. But
what if each one of us took one action to turn things around. It would make a
positive difference. If you could name a National Stand-Down Day for kindness
and love, when would it be? World Peace Day would be a good beginning. Pick a
day that suits your circumstances. Stand down before you begin to think about
your New Year's Resolutions. What are you going to do differently next year? Are
you going to make more money, look more beautiful, weigh less, learn more....
First things first. Choose to live in an attitude of kindness and love. Take
charge of your life and be an instrument of change.
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