by Marie T. Russell

When I look at the state of our whole planet, I wonder, in the words of a familiar folk song, "when will we ever learn". We are definitely babies -- still learning respect for our environment, whether the environment consists of plants, animals, or people. We struggle with respecting our own selves, let alone the other people in the world. We make gigantic "faux pas" in our dealings with each other, whether one on one, or gender to gender, or race to race, or country to country. We are definitely babies compared to the advanced souls whose teachings we are wanting to emulate.

This is the place we now have reached -- whether we are Christians, Buddhists, Muslim, Jewish, Wiccans, or atheists -- we now have to practice the precepts of our religions: Love, Forgiveness, Acceptance, Forgiveness, and Oneness.

We in the United States have a major responsibility to the world. We have been considered the leader in many fields -- technology, commerce, democracy, etc. Now, we need to be the leaders in becoming spiritually evolved beings. We need to practice all these things that have been taught to us through the years, and that we have been preaching -- the concepts and precepts of our religions must now become embodied in our lives. The teachings of Jesus were not just "for show", they are to be lived -- loving thy neighbor as thyself, casting the first stone only if we are innocent, forgiving 7 times 7, etc. Jesus the Christ certainly never meant to be admired and not emulated. He told his disciples that they too "could do these things" (miracles). Jesus did not desire to be put on a pedestal and adored, but rather to be used as a role model, as an example to show us how to live and how to love.

This is our role as "leaders of the free world". To be role models. To help free others not from the shackles of physical poverty or political systems, but rather to free them of the shackles of hatred and fear. We who are so abundantly blessed need to share our blessings with others less fortunate -- whether they reside in our own back yard or across the other side of the planet. It is time for us to recognize that our backyard extends all around the planet and back. That "whatever you do to one of these, you do to me" applies to every single inhabitant on the planet -- no matter the race, religion, nationality, political beliefs, etc.

Jesus and other enlightened teachers have always spoken of healing wounds -- not creating them. We need to keep our focus on what we want to create -- a world full of joy, love, abundance, and lacking in fear and hatred. And the only way to get there is to practice what our religions preach -- put these teachings into practice at home, in our hearts, in our thoughts, in our actions, in our politics, in our visions, in our every single moment. Love thy neighbor, forgive, have compassion -- lend a helping hand, not a punching fist. We need to make sure our steps are leading us towards healing -- not destruction, towards love -- not hatred, towards joy -- not sorrow.

Let us keep taking baby steps to get to where we want to be -- living a loving reality of life on earth. We start by focusing on the immediate present -- the next steps that present themselves to us each day and make sure, with each baby step, that we are emulating the teachers that have taught us the Highest and most Loving way to create "heaven on earth". It is ours for the asking... Follow your heart and the heart of the Great Teachers. The map is all laid out for us... we can do it, one step at a time...

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