Mother's Day
For Mother's Day this year, I'm making a list of what I wish would change the world for the better.
My top ten Mother's Day wishes for people to practice to build a better world are:
1. I wish greed would disappear. Sounds too simplistic, perhaps? But, it's my number one wish. Charity and love should prevail, like King Arthur's dream for Camelot.
2. Health care should be available for everyone without regard for income, social status, citizenship or previous health status. Everyone who needs health care should have access to quality physicians, nurses and treatments for diseases. Support for prevention of illnesses should be ongoing in programs conveniently offered throughout every person's life span.
3. Children should be offered free education, period. When children qualify for education by their age or interest, they should be advanced to a level of learning they can aspire to without regard for who will pay for it. Childhood education provided through young adulthood is an investment in improving our human condition.
4. Political parties should learn to get along. I pray for an end to partisan politics. It's destroying the foundation of our nation because the constant bickering between Democrats and Republicans is sucking vital energy out of our Democracy. We need every American to take pride in being American. Pox on the partisan divides. Differences of opinion are one thing, but damaging partisan bickering for the sake if ideology is destructive behavior.
5. I wish every family would write their own history book to hand over to the next generation. Each family has a special story to tell within the context of the times and generations in which they live. Oral histories can transmit positive traditions from one generation to the next. Eventually, positive elements of a society will outweigh the negatives. Even sad or tragic stories transmit something learned by the experiences. Thanksgiving is a time when family story telling could accent the positives. Let's document our family stories and archive them like they belong in the Library of Congress - a good wooden box is a nice place to store the archives.
6. Be religious - this is somewhat controversial because the trend is to be spiritual without regard for a particular religion. By being religious, I would like to see people pray to God and celebrate our American freedom to practice religion in any denomination we choose. Let's take advantage of our freedom to practice our religion. By the same token, let's applaud the rights of others to peacefully practice their religions while we celebrate ours.
7. Practice humility. Remember to say "I'm sorry", even if you may not be to blame. For example, I'm sorry for people who are greedy. They need sympathy.
8. Thank people for everything. Say "Thank You" often to everyone, especially to those you love. Never take the saying of "Thank You" for granted. Even if it seems awkward, say "Thank You". It works and can even improve your own self esteem.
9. Remember the importance of ceremonies. It's more important to celebrate a birthday than it is to work until 9 PM because a deadline is looming. Christmas or New Year's is a time to remember everyone who has helped or supported us throughout the year. Mother's Day is a time to say "I love you", and "Thank You". Family memories and friendships are built upon ceremonies - they should be nurtured and preserved.
10. Practice the Prayer of St. Francis:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon:
where there is doubt, faith ;
where there is despair, hope
where there is darkness, light
where there is sadness, joy
O divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.
My Mother's Day Wish is for Peace to All Mothers- especially those who have children serving in harm's way - like in public safety, the military or homeland security.
My top ten Mother's Day wishes for people to practice to build a better world are:
1. I wish greed would disappear. Sounds too simplistic, perhaps? But, it's my number one wish. Charity and love should prevail, like King Arthur's dream for Camelot.
2. Health care should be available for everyone without regard for income, social status, citizenship or previous health status. Everyone who needs health care should have access to quality physicians, nurses and treatments for diseases. Support for prevention of illnesses should be ongoing in programs conveniently offered throughout every person's life span.
3. Children should be offered free education, period. When children qualify for education by their age or interest, they should be advanced to a level of learning they can aspire to without regard for who will pay for it. Childhood education provided through young adulthood is an investment in improving our human condition.
4. Political parties should learn to get along. I pray for an end to partisan politics. It's destroying the foundation of our nation because the constant bickering between Democrats and Republicans is sucking vital energy out of our Democracy. We need every American to take pride in being American. Pox on the partisan divides. Differences of opinion are one thing, but damaging partisan bickering for the sake if ideology is destructive behavior.
5. I wish every family would write their own history book to hand over to the next generation. Each family has a special story to tell within the context of the times and generations in which they live. Oral histories can transmit positive traditions from one generation to the next. Eventually, positive elements of a society will outweigh the negatives. Even sad or tragic stories transmit something learned by the experiences. Thanksgiving is a time when family story telling could accent the positives. Let's document our family stories and archive them like they belong in the Library of Congress - a good wooden box is a nice place to store the archives.
6. Be religious - this is somewhat controversial because the trend is to be spiritual without regard for a particular religion. By being religious, I would like to see people pray to God and celebrate our American freedom to practice religion in any denomination we choose. Let's take advantage of our freedom to practice our religion. By the same token, let's applaud the rights of others to peacefully practice their religions while we celebrate ours.
7. Practice humility. Remember to say "I'm sorry", even if you may not be to blame. For example, I'm sorry for people who are greedy. They need sympathy.
8. Thank people for everything. Say "Thank You" often to everyone, especially to those you love. Never take the saying of "Thank You" for granted. Even if it seems awkward, say "Thank You". It works and can even improve your own self esteem.
9. Remember the importance of ceremonies. It's more important to celebrate a birthday than it is to work until 9 PM because a deadline is looming. Christmas or New Year's is a time to remember everyone who has helped or supported us throughout the year. Mother's Day is a time to say "I love you", and "Thank You". Family memories and friendships are built upon ceremonies - they should be nurtured and preserved.
10. Practice the Prayer of St. Francis:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon:
where there is doubt, faith ;
where there is despair, hope
where there is darkness, light
where there is sadness, joy
O divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.
My Mother's Day Wish is for Peace to All Mothers- especially those who have children serving in harm's way - like in public safety, the military or homeland security.
Labels: Mother's Day; wish
posted by Juliana L'Heureux | 5:36 PM
1 Comments:
And of course, my only disagreement is the Be Religious. I am terrified of organized religion. It has been, historically, the following: ideologically damning, violent, dogmatic to the inth degree and divisive. Nothing has hurt communities so much over so long a span as organized, religiously based, hatred.
I am also concerned that you suggest being religious- without recognizing the many athiests or agnostics who are often some of our society's biggest contributors to social justice. One need not be religious or spiritual to believe in - and practice - love of our fellow human beings; ironically, many who are non-religious commit acts of love and acceptance much more easily, simply because they don't have religious dogma telling them who is better, or more worthy of love and comfort.
This Mother's Day, I wish for Peace and Comfort to every mother of the world: that each child shall have food - so that a mother will not go hungry to feed her child; that each child should be safe - so that a mother will not have to offer her body as a shield to catch a bullet or a machete; and that each child shall be loved, so that a mother can see that love reflected back to her through her child's eyes.
And I wish YOU, Julie, a very happy Mother's Day. Blessings on your house.
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