Weddings, Love, Hope, and Detractors

The royal wedding broke a record for the largest viewing audience ever in the history of the world, beating out the previous record of President Obama’s inauguration in 2009 (Source: Telegraph News Article). I was so proud to be a part of that, even at three and four in the morning! I think this tells you something very important about humanity, mainly the desire to congregate around ideals, hope, and success.

Yes, there are terrible things going on around the world, things which deserve our attention. But can’t we have a day at least once every couple of years where we come together to celebrate success, happiness, hope, love, and dreams?

I think the negativity out there just goes to show that we really find in the world what we find in ourselves. Like Mother Theresa said: “Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you.” In this way, we really can change the world, all of us, one person at a time. What if we all took Gandhi’s advice to “Be the change you wish to see in the world”?

You are worried about ignoring Bahraini training pilots who were kicked out of UK flight school for participating in a peaceful demonstration and now are being extradited back to their country to possibly face brutal torture? Then check yourself, to see if you are in any way trying to control or force things too tightly around you. Make sure you have forgiven those who have inflicted control and torture over you in the past. Learn to stand up for yourself in a calm, assertive manner, like the child of the universe that you are.

You are worried about the extravagant cost of a royal wedding at a time when the same country is instituting austerity measures. Examine your own feelings toward money. Do you view it as evil? What is your relationship with money? If it were a person, what would it look like – A monster? A teacher? A beautiful lover? Houdini? Is your relationship with money one of respect, utility, and responsibility, or is it one of fear, scarcity, guilt, entitlement, or laxity? What attitudes toward money are you carrying into every other part of your life? Your work? Your love life? What are you inviting in and what are you pushing away?

“Be the change you wish to see in the world” and you will be able to enjoy celebrating when the world celebrates.