Dear Friend, 2009 is nearly done and where did it go? Well, as I wrote sometime last century:
HEALING MY ANCESTORS: Last month in Relief Society (Mormon women's organization), the lesson was on doing proxy temple work on behalf of our ancestors. As I often do, I made a comment that was a bit off the usual path. I said something like:
"I've been thinking about my ancestors quite a
lot lately. Recently we discovered that the family of my
father's sister took the research back a few more
generations and plugged into some of the large existing
genealogy charts. So all of a sudden I learned that I have
lines that go back to all these European kings and queens.
Like Henry the Second and Eleanor of "So what I've been thinking recently about 'doing work for the dead' is that there is another level to it. We have to leave the big stuff up to Jesus--the atonement and all. But there is a part in it that we can play. We can refuse to let the sins of the fathers and of the mothers have a place in our lives. If there has been intergenerational abuse, we can say--it stops here. We can consciously create lives that are peaceful and joyful and kind, and I believe that as we do so it will ripple not only forward but backward. Perhaps I can help release Henry and Eleanor from some of the chains made by their hate." And just the other night I read in Gregg Braden's The Divine Matrix: "Not only does it appear that time moves in two directions, as Einstein posited, but it also seems as if the choices of today might actually change what took place yesterday." Let us not underestimate our power. It could be greater than the power of kings.
WEEKEND AT CAROL LYNN'S FOR GAY MEN: Well, what a good time we had last month, and what a good time we will have on the 14, 15th. (That weekend is full.)
My life has more peace and clarity because of
the time we spent together. The retreat was a life changing
experience. Thank you.
-- Stacey Mills, Learned such a lot about myself. Two of the best days of my life! -- K.W. So I am persuaded to offer two more weekends: February 20-21 and March 20-21. See: http://clpearson.com/weekendgaymen.htm.
PERFECT CHRISTMAS PRESENTS: AUTOGRAPHED BOOKS. Yesterday I signed 28 copies of the new The Lord is My Shepherd: Inspiration for Couples for a friend who did her one-stop Christmas shopping at my house. FREE COPY of No More Goodbyes with any order on CLP website through November 14th. If you don't have A Stranger for Christmas, The Modern Magi, other Christmas stories, you're missing out on good stuff. See all the Carol Lynn Pearson books available at http://www.clpearson.com/personal_gifts.htm
TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS. Could you benefit from a telephone consultation/conversation with Carol Lynn about any of the issues with which she has experience? http://clpearson.com/consultations.htm . Of all the gifts I've given my wife, an hour talking to you was absolutely one of the best! --K.E.
"FACING EAST" PLAYS IN
GUEST EDITORIAL FROM THE BLOG OF MY BRILLIANT DAUGHTER EMILY: www.dancingwithcrazy.blogspot.com
"I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore,
there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I
can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not
defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way
again." William Penn
My mother has always taught me to leave the world a better place than I found it. When I go on a walk and see garbage lying around, I hear her voice in my head and, if I can, I do something about it. If there is a garbage can nearby, I pick it up - even if I have to walk a little ways. This used to embarrass my kids sometimes but, oh well. I've embarrassed them in such grander ways - the garbage thing is not what they will remember first. But, my conviction that we need to leave the world a better place than we found it is something I hope they never forget. Although it doesn't look like it to many, many people, deep in my heart, this actually is what I am doing as I fight for gay rights. I've looked around the landscape and seen a lot of garbage that needs cleaning up. I have written about my difficulty in keeping Angry Woman in check. It is, clearly, not easy for me. My anger is big and it is justified. However, what good does it do to walk along the street and fly into fits of rage at the garbage - ranting and raving and kicking it and cursing those that leave it there? While it may be natural to feel it, it alone gets nothing done. It makes the screamer, me, miserable and actually just adds more crap to the pile. Choice: I can either shut up and ignore it or I can get to work and clean it up. Obviously I ain't ignoring this one. I am doing my part to clean it up. Reed reminded me of a wonderful quote by Elie Weisel [Night.] "I swore never to be silent whenever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." Sides have been chosen and passions are rising. Both sides are digging in and fighting harder. The question I keep asking myself is: if I desire to leave the world a better place, am I really accomplishing that by adding to all the negativity and anger flying around? Of course not. I keep being reminded by older generations that the fire of my anger is fueled by my youth. I can see that. Plus, I am still processing the damage of my own religious experience. And I still live in So, seeing as how I am not moving on from this for a while yet, for my own spiritual and emotional well being -- not to mention the place I am trying to make better -- it is imperative that I focus more clearly on what I DO want rather than what I DON'T want. That is true for all of us -- no matter what issue we are chewing on and wrestling with. I think it is a life truth. The things we say "Yes" to have to be louder, higher on the list and must far outweigh the things we say "No" to. We have to remember that in saying "No" to bigotry, ignorance, intolerance, violence, hatred... we are actually, and much more importantly, saying "Yes" to equality, enlightenment, tolerance, understanding, peace and love. I think that our Yes's hold far more power than our No's anyway. I think that in saying "Yes" as courageously and loudly as we can, we will actually find less and less things to say "No" to. And, ultimately, I think it is in saying a enormous "Yes" to Life and to Love, in their countless forms, that we will all, without question, leave this world an infinitely better place than we found it. * * * A most Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Love and blessings from your friend,
Carol Lynn
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Transforming...
