Busting Through the Wall, Day 19: We are Obama

I recently posted this quote on Facebook: "The universe doesn't give you what you want; it gives you what you are."

A friend wrote back to say she hoped this wasn't true. I can see where she's coming from. If you have situations or people in your life that are not the way you want them to be, you might be inclined to agree with her. I mean, who wants to look at negativity and say, "That's me! The universe gave me exactly what I am."? It's much easier to think that those situations or people are things separate from us that we need to get rid of or change.

However, I find the quote to be quite true, and actually quite empowering. It means that if I want something, I'm the one responsible for becoming the type of person who that something can happen to. It means I'm not sitting idly by, muttering affirmations and waiting for my new reality to show up. It means I have to work to change my inner reality if I want to see a change in my outer reality.

Today's inspiring inauguration of Barack Obama as our 44^th president is a beautiful illustration of this principle. I have a lot of hope today for our country and for our world, but it isn't because I think President Obama will fix everything for us. I have hope because we, as a nation and as global citizens everywhere, have reached a level of consciousness that allows him to be the outer embodiment of our collective inner reality. He is the public manifestation of our private aspirations.

We are ready to embrace the challenge of being in our world in a new way. We are ready to commit to leading lives of greater service to others and our planet. We are willing to look at our current situations, from our own family finances to the global economic mess, with honesty, practicality, and a commitment to getting back on track. We are willing to take responsibility for what we've created, and for what we wish to create moving forward. Today, we've gone from "Yes, we can!" to "Yes, we will!"

"Be the change you wish to see in the world" has taken on new meaning for me. It's not just about saying you want to end hunger and then volunteering for a food bank. It's about BEING the kind of person you want the world populated with. If we want greater accountability, honesty, and transparency in our government and in our corporations, then WE, ourselves, need to become more accountable, honest and transparent. If we want world peace, then we need to take responsibility for our own emotional states and the peace or conflict we create in our own families. We are on our way to becoming the change we wish to see in the world. I felt it today, watching the inauguration, the crowds, and listening to our new president's speech.

In this intelligent, compassionate and unflappable man, the universe has given us what we are. I stand a little taller today in this realization. I feel up to the challenges ahead. I feel like an important part of this shifting tide in history. How about you? In what way will you step up to this challenge?

 

(This is day 19 of a daily writing experiment in which I explore a particular topic in depth over 21 days, inspired by Colleen Wainwright's 21-Day Salutes. In this case, the topic is breaking through the wall of limitations.)