As I sit writing this monthly newsletter the shock of the last few days has lessened its grip on me, but it’ll always be there. You see, inequality has always been a pet peeve of mine. In thinking about this I wonder where it all began, was there an event that shaped my hard and fast rules regarding the equality of man, woman, and child? Was there something in one of my past lives that soured me to gender or racial bias? When I was in seminary I truly learned that we are all one. I learned the embodiment of God meant that each and every one of us was a spark of the divine. And then if the spark of the divine was in us, and was us, how could anything that is the divine be anything less than equal to another?

I know many of you (myself included) are outraged at the turn of events, and while there are things one can do in an attempt to change things, it’s often felt that we are simply one person, one voice. Yes, one voice that can speak as loud as any another, and with other “one voices” the impact can be resounding.

Initially, I also have a feeling of helplessness as if I alone cant change the world. Well, maybe I can’t affect change on a global or national scale, but I can effect change in my world, and if enough of us do this we can bring about the change we’re seeking on a larger scale.

My original thinking in writing this newsletter was to try to help you figure out how you can make a difference today, not months or years from now. A way for you to bring that sense of “right order” to your own life even when it seems all hell is breaking loose in the world. Through this in no way am I asking you to ignore what’s going on, but to help you find a way to bring joy and meaning to your life right now when it seems our world is going to hell and a handbasket.

July 15, 2022, is National Give Something Away Day. Don’t worry, I didn’t know it was a thing either. NGSAD, is traditionally used for giving away things we no longer find useful but may be perfect for someone else. As someone who is trying to downsize I think this is awesome… and it doesn’t involve holding a garage sale! Now, granted, there are a lot of other ways to help others in need, and it shouldn’t only happen because someone decided that we need a national day to bless others. Nor should this act of benevolence be confined to one simple day!

I challenge you with the task of finding ways you can help others in need. Whether it’s through donation, your time, a kind word, or a smile, making our world (as small as it may seem) a more joyous, loving, and kind place to be. Using your strength, added to the strength of others, will bring about change in the world through kindness, grace, and love.

So, while you’re focusing on the new women’s rights laws taking shape here in the US, know that you also have the ability to intentionally lessen your stress and bring about global change through your small acts of kindness. The energy of these acts can be made manifest in others around the globe… at least that is my wish. Don’t be fooled into thinking you (one person) can’t make a change because you’re more powerful than you will ever know! 

#lisabousson
#roevswade
#equality
#manifestyourworld