Concert List

Alan Cohen author of, ” Chicken Soup For The Soul,” and other inspirational books said that in his work, “Lifestyles Of The Rich In Spirit.”
A prominent political figure from a Muslin nation visited one our University recently to speak and answer questions, and I watched the president of that institution challenge him and attack him verbally. There has been no peace in the words he used to describe his guest, he had his mind made up that this man represented the enemy and a war of words has been in order. It has been clear to anybody that this man and his country were works of the devil and it has been our duty to eliminate him first by dehumanizing him, and then by threats of war.
The guest answered the questions as best he might ; he knew that the majority of the fans would not accept his words, but he tried to explain his country’s position on several topics that struck fear in the hearts of Americans; but our thoughts had already established that this man has been a person to hate. He on the other hand, stood his ground firmly and explained his position as clear ly as he might given the atmosphere of feelings that surrounded him. He did not claim to hate or want to destroy us, he said he wanted to be our friend; he said that his religion has been a peaceful one and that his country wanted to live by their beliefs without interference from other nations. He saw the conflict in Iraq as a senseless attempt to control something that has been not under our control; it had been in existence for centuries before  we  were born as a country and always found a way to resolve its own issues. In the mist of all the anger and resentment he found himself in, he maintain his composure and expressed his feelings about how  we  had created the situations  we  found ourselves involved in, and that  we  were the ones that are forcing other nations to conform unconditionally.
The real issue isn’t about this man and his country; it is about each one of us. As Alan said,  we  must find the peace in our hearts in order to repair our separation. If  we  are motivated by fear, anger, and hatred, that’s what  we  will manifest; the face of this man has been that manifestation.
We do not practice what  we  preach in church each Sunday,  we  do not follow the teachings of Christ if  we  attack and fight in order to control. Destroying never brings repairing, but forgiveness does. Through all the years of fighting  we  still do not get the concept of unity;  we  still put ourselves up on a higher plane of existence;  we  are disconnected from our source and do virtually nothing but fight in order to reconnect; years of conditioning has made us what  we  are, a group of wanderers looking for redemption in all the wrong ways. It is us against everything else, when in fact there is virtually nothing else; what  we  see is a mirror, there for us to recall who  we  really are.
Alan said something else in his book, ” The most meaningful contribution you and I might make toward world peace is to be peaceful ourselves, to give peacefulness to those whose lives  we  touch daily, and to forgive ourselves for our errors, to the point at which  we  love ourselves no matter what  we  have ever done.”
Now is the time for that forgiveness; now is the time to reunite within myself, to be the spirit that expresses the love that fills my heart. I might differ and will differ in order to be at peace; I ask for advocate from my source and it is given; I ask for love to fill my body and it is given; I ask to share that love with all life and it is given.