Do you know how incredibly blessed we are to be on this earth, at this time, with these people around us, in this body, with this mind and with this spirit? Damn lucky.
This epiphany struck me as I was reading, curled up with an incredible book in between my afternoon appointments, and I was so grateful to be reading and learning. To have given myself time and space to do what I love. And, suddenly, this inner voice said ‘what an exciting time to be alive!’. And, on reflection, it truly is.
You probably think I’m insane. That the world we live in has become so turmultuous that our planet is rife with hate, crime and violence. That we are all too knowing of the dangers of our world – of one another, of disease and of pain. That the world isn’t like ‘the good old days’ anymore and people are becoming more disconnected and removed from their divine selves. I hear it all, but I lovingly reject those thoughts. I choose to focus on our incredibly beautiful and accessible world. A world where everyday people, like you and me, are becoming more mindful and are awakening to the beauty of life. A world where we are able to bare witness to the beauty around us with the click of a button, lurk of an instagram account or a simple walk outside our doors. A world where people are becoming empored to make the change that they so desparately desire. A world where love, connection and unity are beginning to emerge and prevail.
Think about the most recent and tragic events in Australia where a man held thirteen people hostage in a bustling Melbourne café. The world tuned in and watched with bated, and fearful breath. People worried that this was the ‘beginning of the end’, that we were no longer safe. But what came from this event was not mass hate and acts of rebellion – but rather love and the unbreakable and resilience of the human spirit was showcased. The #i’llridewithyou social media campaign was started in an effort to offer support and companionship to those people who were fearful of taking public transport alone. It went viral. All of a sudden people stood united and in complete solidarity against ‘hate’. As Russell Brand put it, people made the choice to ‘love life more than others love death’. And love life, and one another, we did.
In this age of abundance where we have access to incredible tools to deepen our relationships with one another and ourselves, where we have instant and ease of access to a crazy amount of knowledge and wisdom, where we are able to connect with teachers, gurus and experts through online mediums – we are just so fortunate that growth and awareness are inevitable consequences of this exposure. If we choose it to be. Because this abundant era brings with it some downfalls, we have ease of access of everything. Food, sex, entertainment, conflict and therefore we have potential to be gluttonous and to ‘switch off’ and consume. Our mindfulness is at risk of being replaced with autonomy and disengagement. Again, if we choose it to be that way. We have a choice. Sure, McDonalds is easy to get and is right down the road and is cheap and convenient – but so too is the ease of access to information about nutrition and the dangers of consuming a diet of processed and massed produced ‘food’. You can choose which abundant world to live within – mindful or mindless.
So take a step back and appreciate what an incredible era is it to exist within. One where monumental changes will be made; where challenges and obstacles present opportunities to rise above and demonstrate the good in the world; where our world as we know it will change and, with the influence of people who promote equality and compassion and earth friendly living, we have the choice to be part of the solution. Make the most of this incredible planet, it’s resources and tools and opportunities for learning, and give thanks that you are part of history. That your existence is of vital importance.
Kind of makes you feel empowered huh? Use that empowerment to make a change. Start with a personal change, a choice to be more mindful in a particular area of your life, and watch that change ripple out into your relationships, your family, your community and the world. Inspired and kind living is contagious, so start spreading the happy bugs.
Blessings and so much damn appreciation for this very moment, right now x
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