ated from law school that said, while he’ s proud of that accomplishment, I would never amount to anything since I was a lesbian.
Fast forwarding 20 years, my younger sister came out as a lesbian. Her mother, who teaches diversity issues in a large company, was supportive of her and helped my father get on board. I remember at a party for my sister and her girlfriend, my dad raised a toast to them and joked around with all her gay and lesbian friends.
For years I was hurt and furious because they were so supportive of my sister and so unsupportive of me. My dad said it was“ the times.” True, but his words and abandonment of me in my teens and young adulthood stung. He loved her and was disappointed in me. It was a“ story” that was triggered and triggered over and over again in my life.
And then, after another ten years, I got it! I realized I was on the transition team of a sexual revolution; my life occupied the space in between— the parenthesis! There was nothing wrong with me; it was just a transition in time and how blessed was I to be part of it! My map changed. Peace... at last.
You too may find it helpful to take a moment to look back over your life to see if you are holding onto hurt or anger because you were ahead of the curve, and people around you could not keep up. Perhaps you were on a transition team too?
If, looking at our maps, we then contemplate our state of inner peace again and our hope for peace in the world, we might feel agitated, overwrought, disempowered, or not heard. We might feel like we are not part of or buy into today’ s divisive landscape.
But, from a new place of awareness, we must realize we are getting things ready for the next phase in humanity’ s evolution, a new collective map of the world.
When I was coming out back in 1979, there was no way could I imagine movements of people, the courts, and my own father, supporting gay / lesbian marriage!
Do you think world peace will happen in your lifetime? It doesn’ t matter... someone has to be at the forefront of its creation. Can you be the person who speaks out for peace? Can you honestly be okay with the parenthesis state of being? Can you step into and embrace being the transition?
If yes, as part of a Kick-Ass Transition-Peace-Team, how do we create world peace? What do we need to do? Starting with cultivating our own peace of mind, here is a list of some practical suggestions for a new inner map of the world. Ready to commit?
n Listen to others with compassion and not for our own agenda n Be compassionate with yourself and others n Empathize with the hurt and pain of others, but do not get caught up in it n Do not lead with your past“ woe is me” story n Acknowledge why you continue your story and be willing to give it up for a new, more empowering story n Understand what map of the world is running you, and where it came from. Is it yours or just a repeat of someone else’ s map? n Choose your own beliefs and values and live them with integrity n Be willing to stop looking and searching for peace outside yourself and instead, choose peace within n Be witness to your life... Observe how you BE in the world rather than just going with the flow. Remember, it’ s a choice n Take responsibility for making the world a better place, do something significant, get involved n Practice peace by living with forgiveness. Forgive yourself and others often and build those forgiveness muscles
Ultimately, this journey you are on to find peace is not dependent on events in the outside world, but your own inner journey. Are you a person of integrity? Do you live to be right or to have compassion? Are you doing, acting, being, thinking and relating to others in accordance with your own inner values? While wishing the past was different, it doesn’ t change. It can’ t. However, seeing a new perspective and changing your story certainly can help you step onto a path towards peace.
Author’ s Postcript
Whether we acknowledge it or not, the toll of war and violence in the DNA of American history has caused deep soul injuries to all of us. Today, there are Native American’ s standing together to stop an environmentally disastrous pipeline, to maintain sacred burial grounds, to uphold treaties, to protect and keep our water supply clean, and to uphold the environmental protection of lands for all people. As Americans, we have great collective guilt and shame over our
24 IMAGINE l FALL 2016