Ordinary Goodness by Mr. Edward Viljoen

Author:Mr. Edward Viljoen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2016-11-16T09:43:01+00:00

Compassion When You Can’t Be There

When fires swept over Lake County, California, just north of my town, my thoughts, from time to time, would be hijacked by my fear for the people affected, for the first responders, and for those who lost entire homes. I would sometimes find myself stuck in downward-spiraling thoughts that had the effect of immobilizing me. I was frustrated to be so near to the disaster and not able to contribute. There were so many people engaged in responding to the event that the public was advised not to show up until the authorities requested assistance. It took an effort of will to extract myself from feeling ineffective and to redirect my attention to the extraordinary acts of human kindness that emerged during the disaster. But, I asked myself, was thinking about the goodness that was coming forward enough of a contribution?

A man went on a personal pilgrimage to India where he served in an ashram, feeding the poor and sick. He asked the guru of the ashram, who was serving food along with the rest of the devotees, how the guru felt about monks in more contemplative orders who sat in meditation and didn’t do much to help the sick and poor. The guru said, “Ah. If it were not for those monks and their practice, we might not be able to do the work that we do, for if we all abandon contemplation of wholeness, our work would have no foundation upon which to stand. It is necessary that each do what is theirs to do and not anything else.”

I wanted to do something to contribute to the relief of those affected by the fires. And I wanted to do it in such a way that my attitude and emotional energy would be a valuable support and not add to the anxiety and fear already present. The first thing I had to attend to was what my mind was focusing on. I was feeling helpless and sad. Imagination is a powerful tool to use, and in the form of an optimistic vision of the future, it can inspire us not only to feel hopeful but to take appropriate action. Although I could not be part of the relief effort physically, I wanted to take heed of the guru’s idea and believe that nurturing a good frame of mind would in some small way contribute also. The opportunity for those of us not physically involved was to become engaged in holding the high watch by using our imagination. I borrowed language from Centers for Spiritual Living’s organizational vision to create my own series of statements to focus on and to inspire me to envision what the future might be:

I see Lake County as a place to practice generous and continuous sharing of heart and resources.

I see Lake County free of homelessness, violence, and hunger.

I see Lake County as a place in which forgiveness is the norm—whether for errors, injustices, or debts.

I embrace a vision

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