Tuesday, March 16, 2004

The affects of a few good words

A few days ago while checking into a hotel in Los Angeles, I rediscovered a very simple but vital basic truth of life; one of life's essential principles that can make living in this world a little piece of heaven. After traveling all day from Amsterdam, tired and ready to crash, I walked into the front lobby of my hotel to find a long line of people waiting to check in. It was late in the day, well into the evening hours, so I was somewhat surprised by the number of people in line. Things were relatively quiet as people seemed to just be going through the motions, following procedure and going through the process of getting a room.

When it came my turn I stepped up to the front counter to proceed with the sequential steps I am all too familiar with. As you might imagine I informed the young lady at the desk that I was there to check in. But, as I paused after speaking I noticed the clerk looked especially tired. She had no life in her eyes, her head hung down and you could tell it had been a long day of dealing with customers. 

As customary for me, I asked a few questions, not without meaning or as some pickup line, but sincerely interested in her answers. I asked her how she was doing, surprised by her honesty in relating to me that she was tired. I told her she looked tired and asked if she was going to be able to go home soon. She informed me that her shift would end in an hour or so. I responded by jokingly telling her to hang in there till she could get home to crash. I can't remember exactly what was said after that, but a few more pleasantries were exchanged and I was on my way.

But as I was bringing my luggage in from the car, I passed through the lobby as I proceeded towards the elevators, to see her again as she was heading into the office. She called out to me, with more energy in her voice and a genuine friendly interest, wishing me a nice evening and a good stay.

There was a noticeable difference in the two encounters with this young person. There had been a transformation from a lifeless, exhausted, work is a drudgery kind of person to someone who actually cared and could energetically express sincere interest in another person's life.

The difference was that for a brief moment sincere interest in another person's humanity had been expressed through simple but meaningful conversation. It is amazing what friendly genuine interaction can do to uplift and influence another person's mood and overall existence. It seems in most cases that kindness and sincere human interest, expressed through a smile or a kind word, will be returned back to the initiator so as to complete the circle.

In a more positive sense the old saying "What goes around comes around" rings true. People everywhere as they go through the repetitive steps of everyday life, at times become numb to the humanity of those around them. Each person actually hoping subconsciously that happiness will be in their path that day, not realizing that happiness is something internally initiated, not externally created.

We actually can fall in love with life, through the kindness of those we encounter; a sincere interaction, a smile, a kind word, an expression of honest interest, a feeling of compassion and empathy, as we perhaps initiate the same with the people we pass by along our own journey. It is through truthful acts of selfless expression, coupled with purified motives, which brings about the internal happiness we are all seeking for.

It is through losing our self through sharing that we really find our self. It is when we become acutely aware of the humanity of all people that we become in tune with the inner feelings of those around us, so that we might share a smile, an expression of concern, a kind word, a listening ear, which will initiate an exchange of love and happiness from one human being to another.

Loving the Iraqi people

This was made evident to me time and time again while in Iraq, as I accepted the humanity of those people, through my own unconditional shared acts of kindness. Then and only then did I see them as equals, people in need, with feelings and desires very similar to my own.

As I was able to initiate honest interaction, they were able to exponentially return love to me through their own shared acts of kindness and concern. They opened up their arms and took me in, offering me whatever they had, selflessly and whole heartedly. They brought me into their homes, fed me all of the abundance they could muster up, with a sincere desire to share their time and money with me if needed. They openly expressed their brotherly love for me, as they were able to complete the circle with their own honest acts of kindness.

This love for our mutual humanity spilled over into the hearts of their family members and relatives, who automatically took me in as their own. It is contagious and if the people are open to the spirit it will infect their heart with the love of Christ. It is no wonder that I can say I love these people, for I have seen their inner self, the true desires of their hearts and I have connected with them on a different level.

Life is better and they do want us there

As was evident in the findings of the pole that was taken by CBS announcing yesterday that 89 percent of the polled Iraqi people are against the attacks on the Coalition forces. The majority also voicing their feelings that things are better now, a year after the war, then they were before. Most of them either have or are buying refrigerators, air conditioning units, and are step by step improving their life. Yes, they do have concerns about employment, security, and the future. Yes there are a number of fanatical factions that want to continue to disrupt the stability of their country, for their own selfish reasons.

But, they will have no hope if we pull out. How can anyone in good conscience plead for a withdrawal of our troops, knowing that it would launch them into a civil war? There are too many evil factions that would fight for power and position in order to further subject the general populace to additional control and bondage. The vast majority of good Iraqi people want us there; they realize our presence will deter the minority fanatical factions from initiating aggressive actions against the more passive Iraqi majority.

We must finish what we have started. Our credibility in the world is on the line and the trust of all freedom seeking people of the world is at stake. We cannot allow evil power hungry men to exercise unrighteous dominion over our fellow brothers and sisters of the world.

The stability of Iraq and that region of the world is at stake. They have the right to live peacefully, free to act according to their own desires. They should have the freedom to choose their own future and map out their own course. The only way this is going to happen is if we keep the door of opportunity open and assist in controlling the aggressive actions of those who would desire to take control by force. We need to give freedom a chance to take hold.

Offer them freedom

Over the last year while in Iraq, I found myself and came into my own as I discovered my passion for helping and assisting the people of Iraq, who have been without choice for decades. I still have higher aspirations to do something of greater value and to make a difference anyway I can. I will continue to endeavor to give hope to children everywhere, that they might be optimistic about their own future.

In the course of my travels I have come to the realization that life is too short to be caught up in the negative energy drain of negativity. Being pessimistic is a liability, continually sucking the life out of each of us. People that chose to be negative and pessimistic are a distraction to others that attempt to focus on the positive aspects of life. There are many takers, as opposed to givers, in this world, who stand in the way of our own individual growth and progression, as they look for ways to suck others into their spiraling black hole.

In this world we live in with a whirlwind of voices expressing their desires to resort back to isolationism, there seems to be no middle ground in the battle of forces raging amongst us. If we chose to do nothing, we are actually sliding backwards, aiding the evil forces that would subject us to various forms of bondage. As with many things if we are not moving forward with positive progress then we are moving backwards towards the evil forces of control and bondage.

We as a people cannot sit idly by, while we watch our society be overrun with the evils of our day, by men that have selfish aspirations to take power, wealth, and control. We must chose to take some form of initiative in stopping these forces, so that the children of the world have hope for a brighter future. We cannot ignore the problems of the day feeling that our children will have to deal with it.

The children of the world are our future. The future lies in the eyes of what they can see, but we must help paint the picture of hope with our own sweat and blood. We must sacrifice today so that our children will live freely in peace tomorrow. Otherwise their smiles will be gone as they become consumed by the hate and anger of their parents and adults around them. Who is going to show them the way to joy and happiness in a world filled with hate, greed, murders, abuse, and bondage? 

I chose to do something, how about you?

Have a great day!

That is it for now, from the desk of
Chief Wiggles.
Doing it the wiggles way