Duty Calls

Shout Your Truth

“What does matter...is that only by investing and speaking your vision with passion, can the truth, one way or another, finally penetrate the reluctance of the world. If you are right, or if your are wrong, it is only your passion that will force either to be discovered. It is your duty to promote that discovery—either way—and therefore it is your duty to speak your truth with whatever passion and courage you can find in your heart. You must shout in whatever way you can.”

Ken Wilber (One Taste)

Most of the people I know are desperately concerned about our current world events; in the U.S. people can speak of little else besides our president. We watch helplessly as he stokes the world-fires, throws his own people under the bus, and hurls insults at the leader of North Korea, as well as many of our allies. We are stunned, and in shock that anyone, let alone our president, could be so callous and cavalier with the idea of nuclear war. He does not seem to understand, or care, about the business of mutual destruction—if one of us explodes a nuclear weapon, all of us will die together. His main fascination seems to be what it would do for his ratings. This kind of incomprehensible disconnect has made this the most dangerous moment in the history of this country. And, it seems the people who could do something about it, that being Congress, are choosing not to, in order to maximize their own political ambitions. In my world view, that is the current state of affairs in “the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

According to author and philosopher, Ken Wilber, and reaching back to include Kierkegaard, we have a responsibility to speak our truth with passion. Your truth may be different from mine. You may believe that we are simply going through a course correction, and that once all the “reforms” are put into place, it will be smooth sailing. If you believe that, you have every right to speak your truth as vociferously as you want. Not just a right, actually, but a duty. Because it is in uncovering the pockets of divergent beliefs that we may, eventually, sort ourselves out into a functioning society.

I believe that most of humanity, at least seventy percent, want a just and peaceful world. It may not seem so to people looking on from afar, but here on the ground, it is true. Once upon a time, we could expect our elected officials to represent all of us, even those who held different views, but those days seem to have passed. We must now take it upon ourselves to lead, and we do that by speaking out in whatever way we have the heart and the courage to do. We have some major questions to ask and answer: What is good for humanity—not just for me, but for all of us? What can I do to contribute to the greater good? How can I speak my views and beliefs without condemning those who think and feel differently? What is my heart-soul-spirit telling me is right? Now is the time for all of us to become hearty, healthy, spiritually-connected citizens. We must shout our truth in whatever way we can.

                                                                       In the Spirit,

                                                                           Jane