We live in crazy, unpredictable, sometimes amazing, and sometimes troubling, times. Our world is in upheaval. We balance precariously between the good and the bad, the danger and the grace. Will we see another world war? Will our planet be ripped apart by natural disasters and decline caused by climate change? Will we see the levelling out of the financial disparity? Will the great minds of this generation find ways to save us from the society we’ve created? There are so many unknowns.
Despite the planning we like to do, and the control we think we have, unforeseen events arise. This summer, forest fires raged across British Columbia, my home. Tens of thousands of people were forced from their homes, fleeing to the apparent safety of other parts of the province. It was heart wrenching. Homes and belongings, and sometimes livestock had to be left behind in the rush. The fire threat was greater than any faced by the province in recorded history. Homes burned to the ground, entire areas were devastated.
And as always, out of hardship, heroes emerged.
This experience was awful and terrifying, yet I have rarely been so inspired. So in awe of the capacity to give. People came from all over the world to help us fight the dragon consuming our forests. People came, putting their own lives on hold, alongside ours, to help us save our homes.
Communities in neighbouring cities opened their homes and their hearts, taking in entire cities of evacuees, whoever that included – pets and horses, chickens, goats, pigs. They made sure we had the support we needed when our homes were no longer safe, donating places to stay, feed for animals, clothing, bedding, anything we needed. Family, friends, and strangers tried to make us feel as though we belonged, as though we weren’t imposing on their peaceful existence. It was beautiful. And it wasn’t a quick turn around, though some thought it would be. The fires threatened for weeks. Some people were under evacuation order for 40 days or more. And even then the alerts lingered. None of us knowing if we’d have to leave again at a moments notice.
In this and other crisis situations, we see a staggering number of individuals shine. They are living examples of the Third Insight- Giving. “We integrate the THIRD INSIGHT when we realize the Universe is not a dead, uncaring place. It is an energetically connected environment that is spiritually constructed to bring our greatest dreams into fruition. All we have to do is align our lives with the Universe’s ruling principle: GIVING. To create this new ‘world view,’ we must understand and live in alignment with the Universe’s Karmic Design. We begin to fulfill the latest discoveries of Quantum Physics. As we open up to Synchronicity and Intuitive guidance, we realize that we, in fact, we share minds with one another and the Divine. The path to this majestic life – lies NOT in ruling others or taking what we want. It lies in always looking out for the ‘best interests’ of others, and at the same time, striving to perceive something they need in order to manifest their dreams. If we give them this information, it feels Synchronistic to them and elevates their lives.”
There have always been those who work against what most of us believe to be right, those who are underhanded. The thieves who steal from the evacuated, the arsonists who start more fires during fire season, the scammers who will do anything to get one up on everyone else, thinking they deserve more. But in the midst of this and other horrible circumstances, the generosity and caring that comes forth far outweighs the hate.
While most of us have spent these months consumed by fear, we have also been given hope.
Hope that we will step down from the knife’s edge and into a cohesive peace. Hope that we can still do right by a world where so much wrong has been done. And that in turn makes many of us wonder what we can do. How can we contribute. Maybe we are not inventors or great leaders. Maybe we don’t hold sway over financial empires.
Even in thinking about all of the good people are doing for each other during the fires, all of the good others have done for each of us, we are unsure how we can repay them. Is a thank you enough? Is the plan to pay it forward if neighbouring communities get hit with disaster doing my part? Will any of us ever be able to repay the kindness offered to our families?
And if we weigh things up pound for pound, the answer is no. We won’t ever be able to repay what other people give us, and a thank you is not equal to a temporary home or the risking of life and limb. So many of us get hung up on these thoughts. And then we sit idol, frozen in the place between being part of the problem because we aren’t being a force for change, and desperately wanting to do something.
But it’s okay. We don’t have to repay the people who helped us with exactly the same way. We don’t have to get ‘even’ on some scale of who is the better helper. These generous, kind hearted people were not handing out favours as debts to be repaid. There were no strings attached. They were doing what they felt was right in a terrible situation. They were doing what they could, usually happily, in order to make the world a better place.
Give the best of who you are with soulful intention.
So, while we can never repay a kindness given in the darkest hour, we can do what we can do. No action that comes from a truthful place, however small, is inadequate. After all, the most meaningful thing you can sometimes give is a smile, or a hug, or friendly ear. If the energy of the gesture is genuine, how can we compare what we have to offer with what anyone else has to offer? Whether we have one dollar to give or one thousand, if we are giving with our whole heart, it is enough because we are giving with soulful intention. We are putting our energy towards doing good.
Chances are most of us won’t save a family and their pets from a wildfire. Most of us won’t give anyone a home away from home for months at a time. But we can get creative with what we do give. We can make gestures and do random acts of kindness. The majority of us may not be on the front lines with the fire fighters and emergency livestock haulers and helicopter pilots but we can support them in their work. We can make life easier for them, so they can do their jobs better.
I believe that we all want to look back on our lives, on the moments when we had the opportunity to be heroes, and be at peace with how we acted. I believe that if our lives were played back to us, we would all want to feel happy about the person we were and find truth in what we stood for. In the constantly shifting world, I want to be able to say that I know I did the best I could.
And that is a choice we can all make. To do our best, and stop comparing. Stop trying to figure out if we’re doing enough. For the most part, we are all on the same side, and if we succeed, we will succeed together. We will change our world and ensure the progression towards a more spiritually fulfilled, enlightened, and synchronistic humanity.
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