I saw this video for the first time tonight. Sure brought back memories. I grew up in Vancouver. The city has always been a jewel and this video really shows that it still is even though the population has ballooned from that of a small city to that of a grand metropolis.
Now, I live in Chilliwack. It is growing like Vancouver did when I was a child. But it is not on the ocean, which makes the scenery very different. Only 60 miles apart, the cities are tied by belonging to the same valley. Other than that, they are both very diffent cities.
I still love Vancouver 60 years later and visit regularly. But, with the high traffic volumes there now, I no longer want to live there. I used to walk every day just to look at the mountains sitting to the north of the city. In winter, the snow-covered mountains looked like jewel encrusted crowns surrounding the City's perimeter. Protecting Vancouver from all the bad things to come.
The lights of the city are spectacular even when the ocean fog rolls in. No fog is thick enough to completely block them out. It is not for lack of trying though! When I was attending Simon Fraser University, I can remember many trips up and down Burnaby Mountain that were slow. I had to drive very slowly with my window down so I could follow the white line down the middle of the road. It was the only way to be sure I was still on the road. I missed a corner once and aimed my truck down until I was back on the road again. I only took out a few small trees though. You would not do that now, you would take out the condos!
When I watched this video, I cried. Again. When I watch the news, I cry. Again. When I turn on the television, I cry. Again.
I have been on a spiritual search for love and kindness in the world. Instead, I find sorrow, sadness, misfortune, despair, loss, and more. It hurts my heart to see all the terrible things that have been happening. Wars, earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, landslides. Always something happening, and always people crying.
I found love and kindness with my friends, but not with strangers. Who will help those others? I can try, but if I think on it too much, I become discouraged and fearful. Again. Then I stop trying. Again.
We cannot quit. We cannot leave these things happen. We cannot forget the other people in this world. We must do what we can, small or large, to make our world a better place.
They tell us there is enough food for all. Why do some have too much and others too little? They tell us that 3/4 of the world is covered with water. Why do some people have lots, enough for swimming pools, fountains and more. Why do others have no safe drinking water? no crops? no water to give their animals.?
We send our young men out to fight battles. Some are important in our eyes, some are not. They come home in body bags and coffins, but still we send them. Why do we do that?
Now, with such a disastrous earthquake that has hit Haiti, we send men, women, and aid. The supplies are not getting to where they need to go. What is the reason that some people, even in times of need, greedily keep the supplies to themselves, or try to sell them for profits? How much of the supplies that we are sending are getting through to where they are needed?
Find the Love in your heart to help without judging. Find it in your heart to help without saying what's in it for me. Find the love in your heart for all mankind to offer help and support without expectations.
I found the love in my heart when I saw the pictures of the Afghan war. With the sight of soldiers dying. I found the love in my heart when I saw the pictures of the devastation in Thailand after that terrible Tsunami in 2006. I found the love in my heart when I saw the crumbling houses and streets in Haiti last week.
We all have that love within us, but it is up to us all to choose to show and use it for the good of others. We should never be selfish. If al we can do is provide a few blankets, then do it. If all we can do is send food, send it. If all we have to offer is small change, offer it. Large or small, any help is appreciated by those who realy need it.
Having a happy life is easier than you might think. I have made the decision after listening to the Dali Lama that it is up to me to have a happy life. So How do I do that? I have been thinking on it and trying some new things to see what works.
First, I discussed this with my family. All of them agreed that looking outside myself for happiness is not the way to go. Happiness is always inside you. You can be in very happy situations and surrounded by very happy people and still not feel happy within yourself. Only you can change what you feel inside yourself.
Secondly, I spoke with my friends about this. For the past few weeks, the topic has come up in many conversations. The final conclusion does not change though. We have all come to an agreement. Happiness is something you can control. How is up to each person and situation, but it is under your own control. Where do I go from here?
I have been looking at my own thought patterns. What thoughts come to my mind and how I treat them. Upon realizing that not all my thoughts are positive in outlook, actually many are quite negative, it has become important to me and my happiness to learn to control them. It is much more difficult that I expected. I suppose the habits of 62 years of life on this earth in this lifetime has ingrained some negative ideas firmly enough to make them difficult to remove. Now comes the work.
Fortunately, I have some great friends who are helping me to learn this. I have found great resources here for learning. Check out this site! The amount of knowledge to be found there is huge!
