Electricity jolted as 19,000 people leapt to their feet, stomped, cheered, and screamed. Houston’s basketball stadium rocked with cheers as Barak Obama took and owned the stage. As a public speaker myself, I wanted to see a master--the man billed as the Bobby Kennedy of our generation--weave his word spell.
I wanted to feel a huge crowd, hungry for change, roaring for a man brave enough to paint, with simple words, a bold vision for healing lives…and America. And as I realized, by tearing up often during his speech, I wanted my hope caressed and cajoled into waking. I wanted to confront my own cynicism, to dare dreams of greatness for my self, for my country, and for our world.
Naturally I was skeptical. It’s a lot to ask on a windy Tuesday night—to shake off the weariness, lethargy, and doubt that clings to the soul after years of hoping…and disappointment. Especially in Politics. My crash course in Compassionate Conservatism came during the 1980’s. While hundreds of my friends died from AIDS Ronald Reagan’s administration turned a cold shoulder to our suffering. Their reasoning; gay people were pariahs in society—who cares if they get sick and die painful, excruciating deaths. Or worse, we don’t want to offend our “faithful base;” better not rock the boat and our approval ratings by mentioning gays. The Katrina disaster was more of the same—a entire city’s class of people left to fend for themselves. Yeah, there’s plenty of room for the voice of cynicism in politics.
So to sit in a stadium, listening to Barack’s vision for America, tears wetting my cheeks, wiping my eyes nonchalantly (doing my best not to look like a complete sap) was a bold step in hope. I kept asking myself, “Do I dare let this in? Do I dare open my heart and dream?” What about the waves of bitter disappointment? Surely they will come. The kind of change this senator form Illinois requires is a quantum shift in conscious for every American; and a systematic change in behavior rarely seen in human history. Yet the 19,000 roaring fans around me and the hundreds of thousands of people thronging Obama’s speeches suggest a hunger for change that just might transcend our daily grinds and move us beyond the culture wars into a world of friendship and respect.
There is a simple science to change (though like many simple things, not always easy). In a nut shell it’s “Ready. Aim. Fire.” Or as I like to say it,
*Center. *Vision. *Build the energy. *Direct the energy. *Celebrate. We must center our bodies, hearts, minds, and spirits for the work at hand. We must tap into our deepest values and the vision of our lives built on those values—this important step is the inner-compass needed to drive the work at hand. In Vision we create the strategy for the desired change. Build the energy is simply peaking our energy so we can do the work; the energy in our bodies, the energy of our friends & families, and gathering the monies and supplies we need to succeed. Directing the energy is executing the plan. Take action. Make the change. Celebrate is the often forgotten end of the cycle. This is where the cycle of energy is released and we get to dance, play, and party to salute the efforts made.
Of course the next cycle starts again. “Re-ready. Re-aim. Re-fire.” Or Re-center. Re-vision. Re-build the energy. Re-direct the energy. Re –celebrate. And the spiral dances on.
Who am I to dare? Who is Senator Obama, or Hilary Clinton, or John McCain, for that matter, to dare to touch people’s hearts and minds and dare to change the world we live in; a person with a vision…of hope and faith in our shared human potential; a vision of a world fueled by love and friendship. Time will tell if Barack Obama is the midwife for a new golden age of American consciousness. But this much is true. Time is on our side. Change and progress will come. The daunting question is this, “Will we guide and direct that change ourselves, or will the Kosmos, in its infinite wisdom and cosmic 2X4 knock us in the head and drag us into the future. The choice is ours. Change? Yes we can. It’s the wisest and most practical option open to us.
Why do some people never manage to get their life together;
whether it's their health, relationships, happiness, work,
or money? Alan Davidson is the author of the free report "Body
Breakthroughs for Life Breakthroughs: How to Peak Your
Physical, Emotional, Mental, Moral, and Spiritual IQs for a
Sensational Life"
Free Report: ==> http://www.throughyourbody.com
Alan's also the author of Body Brilliance: Mastering Your
Five Vital Intelligences, the #1 Health and Wellness book
and Winner of Two 2007 Book-of-the-Year Awards.
