Haiti

The morning didn't work out as planned. He called me to vent, to tell me how his plan for work went bust. He set a goal and wasn't able to meet it. The people at work didn't cooperate and didn't seem to care that they were now behind on their objectives. He was so angry. After a few minutes on the phone, we hung up.

I, on the other hand, had had a very productive morning. I was on a roll when he called. My mood was opposite his. After we spoke on the phone, I could've kept going with what I was working on, but I had to go pick up my son from school. But then, right before I stopped writing, he texted me. In his awful mood, he offered to go to school. And then they came home. His was an act of love. 

He and my son were both smiling and talking lightheartedly as they walked through the door. The day had shifted. From then on, it went much, much better. 

And so it seems that the best way out of a funk, out of our frustrations and out of the chance of perceptually enlarging our problems, is to serve. To do for others what we would have others do for us. To do for others what they cannot do for themselves. To do for others what we would like to do for them as an act of love. Sometimes it is more than that. Sometimes serving others in the midsts of our feelings of need is a challenging of our circumstances, an act of alchemy. Serving others is also an act of hope, love, generosity, goodwill, kindness, decency, respect and compassion. Sometimes we do it intentionally and sometimes we are moved and do not know rationally why we are serving. In any case, when we serve, we bring the light and, somehow, our grievances are shadowed. 

Today is a good day to shadow our grievances. It is a good day to remember Haiti, its people, and the devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew. We may not be able to serve Haiti and its people physically due to our geographical distance, but we can bring the light in other ways. Moments of silence and moments of prayer for Haiti and the relief workers, alone or with family and friends,  are a way to bring the light. Donations of money and goods and other forms of funding the aid efforts are another way to bring the light. Spreading awareness and acts of remembrance are yet another way of bringing the light. Let us serve and be lifted up by doing so. Let us serve and shift our energy in a positive way. Let's bring our thoughts to Haiti and to the other places hurt by Hurricane Matthew. Let us bring the light. 

Image found at LIKE A HURRICANE.wordpress.com.

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