4 November 2008

Viva La Revolution!

So, I was at The Yoga Show this past weekend when a slight, balding guy in white walked up to me as I was browsing the reading materials presented at his booth and asked,

“Would you like to be a part of our world-wide peace revolution?”
Now, while I didn’t agree to be a member of his specific group [although he was very sweet and gave me a free badge, the giant crystal in the middle of a circle of cushions—“the Sacred Space” as it were—turned me off]; the more I thought about it, the more I though, Yes! That is exactly what I am looking to become a part of! And—if I may bring my personal faith into it—I feel that it is my responsibility, my duty, to bring about just that: a world-wide peace revolution! And while we will never fully bring about that dream, we can at least make strides in the right direction. Strides away from oppression perpetrated by willing ignorance, away from egotism and delusions of immortality.

I was searching for something amongst my old journals the other day, and happened upon a desperate scribbling about my generation’s lack of innovators. In fact, one entire page is simply the question, “Where are all the revolutionaries?!” in big, dark letters. As much as I shy away from talking politics (despite England trying in earnest to break me of that), I have to admit the topic of revolution brings to mind the person of Barack Obama. If elected, is he going to accomplish all that he has promised during his campaign? Of course not! I’m a realist: the man is not “the Messiah,” not the be-all-and-end-all…he’s just a man. But while watching him debate and listening to his speeches, some of my optimism has been renewed. Many people have likened him to JFK or his brother Bobby; and while I’m not sure about going quite that far, there is definitely some Kennedy-esque electricity about him. Obama is charismatic, he is charming and disarming. He is the kind of orator that makes the common man get excited about governmental issues—no small feat! He has his draw-backs, his bad habits and dirty little secrets. I expect no less from any politician; but even tempered with that reality there is something very exciting about the possibility of being a part of history, being a part of a movement that inspires me. Being a part of a world-wide revolution.

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posted by Becs @ 11:49 pm 2 comments