Inauguration of the Heart

I think it is a bit of a stretch to expect one man, even with considerable power, energy and vision, to "fix everything" that plagues us as a nation. Instead, we must leverage the inspiration we feel from the ascent of President Obama by tapping the unique and relevant power, energy and vision that has been granted to each of us in our respective spheres of influence.

Today, even today, where can we encourage another to think out of the box? Where can we relieve suffering just a little bit? Where can we choose simplicity over materialism, discipline over gluttony, active listening over assumption? Where can we speak out against injustice?

T.S. Eliot wrote a classic poem a century ago called The Wasteland, that painted a portrait of individuals caught up in inauthentic lives. Our country has in many ways become a "wasteland" of excess, division and general non-critical thinking. Now, the economic pain that has inflicted so many of us directly and at least our collective consciousness indirectly has opened our eyes to the decay we have permitted.

But good can come out of pain, as countless people have learned. This is at hand the gift of a chance to peer more closely into our souls and see what is there. There is, if we embrace it, the possibility of an inauguration of a new era of vibrant, authentic living within our hearts. Strip away the distractions and the medicating but empty vessels of would-be fulfilment, unleash your talents and see how you can make an impact for the world and your own satisfaction today.

This is not just Obama's time. This is your time to shine as well.