TheLeaderInside.com

Big Picture – The Really BIG Picture!

“When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for
one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness… ”

Today I would like to occupy a little more of your time than usual. I have a few words to pass along about why this is “The Really BIG Picture” of today’s title — and then give you some, what I believe are, interesting things to watch and listen to.

First about today’s quote — Do you recognize it? They are certainly profound words, aren’t they? These words were agreed upon by 56 people on July 4, 1776. Here we are, 232 years later, and it makes me sad to see how many people who live in, and who are citizens of this great country, have forgotten, or have chosen to ignore, this basic principal.

I wrote about how prejudice is still running rampant in this country in my last article in this blog. Today, we’re just a few days away from one of the most important elections this country has ever seen. And still, there are people who feel that the ideals upon which this country was founded — that all of us are created equal — there are people to whom this just doesn’t seem to matter.

I’m not going to go on one of my big rants today about the terrible things being said by Americans about other Americans. Instead, I’m going to ask you to do four things. One — If you’re registered to vote in this election, BE SURE TO VOTE!

The second thing I’m asking of you is to watch this video. It features the person I support for the Presidency of the USA, Barack Obama. This is the speech he delivered on Monday, October 27, 2008, in Canton, Ohio. It’s being called “The Closing Argument“. I feel this speech makes the choice in this election starkly clear. I looked for some excerpts that were shorter, but the couple I found didn’t do the speech justice. As usual, I’ve included a link in case the video doesn’t play for some reason.

The Closing Argument

The third thing I’d like you to do is read this blog post by Barack Obama’s wife, Michelle Obama. This was a post she wrote on the same day that her husband gave the above speech. She wrote it for the Blogher community. It will only take a couple of minutes to read, but it will give you a clear idea of who this person is and why she would also be a good role model for parents and spouses in our country.

Here’s the link to it:

Michelle Obama’s Blog Post

Or — if you’d rather read it here, I’ve included the text for you:

One Week to Change

by Michelle Obama

The leaves are turning, the air is crisper, and my girls are completely wrapped up in their preparations for Halloween. Yep, it’s definitely fall.

Malia and Sasha spent hours this weekend putting the finishing touches on their costumes. Then they paraded around with their friends at the Halloween party we hosted on Saturday night. Malia was what she calls an “evil fairy,” and Sasha was (I can hardly believe I’m writing this) a corpse bride. They were both aiming for terrifying, but as Barack put it, they really are just too cute to be scary.

In a few days, we’ll go trick-or-treating. And then, just a few days later, it’s Election Day.

After 21 long months, the big day is almost here.

This campaign has been such an incredible experience for me and for our family. I’ve learned so much. And I don’t just mean how to travel to five states in two days, or where to find places for kid-friendly fun anywhere in America on a moment’s notice. (Though, believe me, these are extremely useful skills.)

I’ve learned that there is so much more that unites us as Americans than divides us—no matter what our differences may be. I’ve seen neighbors pitching in when the folks around them need a hand—without being asked, and sometimes without even being noticed. Strangers seeing each other struggle, and standing up to say, “I don’t know you, but I want to help.”

This is exactly what Barack has been talking about for years. The fundamental values and experiences that bring us together… regardless of our race, our political party, our socioeconomic status, our age or our gender… all the threads that connect our lives and our futures. Because the truth is, we are in this together. We will rise and fall together. And the only way that we’ll build a better future for our kids is by coming together and working together for change.

As Barack always says, We don’t live in red states or blue states… we live in the United States. And during the past 21 months, as I’ve traveled around this beautiful country, I’ve seen the truth of his words again and again.

Now, with just one week to go until Election Day, I’d like share with you one of my favorite memories from the campaign trail, for you to get a sense of the extraordinary strength and kindness I’ve seen on my travels.

Throughout this campaign, I’ve hosted round table discussions with women—both to introduce myself and our family to the American people, and to hear the questions and concerns of folks all over this country. A few months ago, I was in Kansas City, Missouri, meeting with a group of local women, when one woman started talking about her son.

He had some developmental problems, and his pediatrician urged her to give him as much enrichment as she could. But she didn’t make enough money to afford daycare. So instead of spending his days playing with other children in a lively environment, this little boy was spending his days sitting in a relative’s living room, waiting for his mom to finish work.

This mother was heartsick over how to give her son a better quality of life during these crucial formative years.

Another woman was participating in the discussion that day: a nun named Sister Berta, who runs a nonprofit agency that cares for low-income children while their mothers are at work. And after we finished our discussion that day, Sister Berta quietly went over to the woman, and offered her son a spot at her center—for just $10 a week.

It almost seemed like a miracle. Right when that woman was brave enough to tell her story, there was someone listening who could help her. And two people who didn’t know each other before that morning found their lives on a different path after we left.

I think about that moment all the time. Because that right there—that sense of cooperation, that unity—that is why Barack is in this race. Because he believes so deeply in our ability to come together in times like these—times of crisis—to overcome any challenges that we face.

It’s going to take all of us working together to build a better future. And we have to start now. This election gives all of us the opportunity to change our world. So please, make the most of this moment. Educate yourself, and your friends and family, about the issues at stake in this election. And please, no matter who you vote for, make sure you vote.

I know we can do this. I’ve met so many strong and compassionate folks on the campaign trail. Folks like Sister Berta, who knows that we rise and fall together—and who can’t stand by if the situation demands that she step up.

My family is committed to this campaign because of people like her, and people like you.
So I’ll be carrying so many stories in my heart during these final days, wherever I go—whether I’m on the campaign trail, or collecting candy from our terrified neighbors, as I go door-to-door with our ghoulish girls.

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Finally today, with only four days until the election, I’d like you to watch this short video. It concerns the first thing I asked of you — and that was to be sure you vote. There has never been an election this important to every single one of us, not only here in the USA, but also throughout the world. This video came into my life just yesterday from a new friend of mine I met in the http://www.beta.intent.com ning group, Jim Aycock. He and a couple of film maker buddies of his, George Smith and Michael Mills, put this video together which features a song written by Jim called, “We the People“. Jim gives tons of credit to his wife, Cindy, for being the driving force behind the making of this wonderful video.

Please watch it and enjoy it — and then get out and vote. And be sure those you know do the same. Again, I’ve included a link in case the video doesn’t play for any reason.

We the People Video

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Be sure to vote. Be sure to check your registration before you vote by contacting your local voter registration office. If somehow your registration is being purged, you will know by checking first. Do it now, so you won’t be pressed for time just before election day. If you can, vote early to avoid long lines at the polls. And my last bit of advice — tell everyone you know to do the same.
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Thanks for hanging in here with me. I appreciate it.
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Always remember this wonderful quote from Buddha ….

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

~~~ Buddha

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I meditate every day to help keep me sane in this crazy world we live in. Those glimpses we get of peace, love, acceptance and happiness when we’re meditating will soon grow into more than glimpses if we keep practicing. Keep those feelings alive. A meditation can be as simple as one, deep, conscious breath. When something happens in one of your moments to cause you to suffer, just stop and take one of those breaths and remember, “This too shall pass!” Another thing that is wonderful, especially at certain times of the year, is to have a fresh flower where you work. Just stop from time-to-time and look at it — don’t label it — don’t judge it — just be with it for a couple of moments. It really does work. I’m looking at mine as I write this.

“Each flower is a soul blossoming out to nature”

~~~ Gerard de Nerva

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“Those who really seek the path to Enlightenment dictate terms to their mind. Then they proceed with strong determination.”

~~~ Buddha

Namaste!

I share these words for you in closing — .

“Be happy now, my dear friends. Today is all we have. Be good to one another. Take comfort in whatever spirituality you are so inclined (or not), and learn to be happy despite your circumstances. Follow your path; pursue your dreams. Work hard, love your family, be generous and forgiving. Do it today, while you still have the flicker of life, for one day your own candle will dim.”

You are special — and you are loved. You are the greatest gift you can be.

Shanti … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”

~~~ Buddha

~~~ Ron
http://www.theleaderinside.com
http://www.wecould2.com
http://www.buddhistbelief.com

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