Sunday 6 April 2014

The King Of America - Part 2


In reading back over what I wrote in the first installment of this statement, I realized that something was missing.  Herewith an attempt to correct that imbalance.  I'll do it by telling a little story.

'Once upon a time there were two male friends who went to both high school and college together.  One went on into his chosen profession, and had a fulfilling life in it.  The other one, having something he called 'a spiritual experience,' dropped out of school - or at least his formal, tertiary education - and took off in his life to the beat of a different drummer, in order to pursue what he called capital-t Truth.  

'His life didn't amount to much in terms of its outer life.  But in terms of its inner life, his life has been priceless.'    

The bottom line: Different strokes for different folks, is all; and at different times in one's life.

And in that regard, I came across an interesting observation late last night, after posting my 'King Of America' blog.  It was a Mission Statement on the back of a sheet of return address labels issued by a charity called Covenant House.*  Under the Statement itself was a section headed 'Covenant House is governed by five basic principles'.  One of them was titled 'Value Communication'.  It opened with the statement:

"Lying, cheating, and stealing are common survival tools on the street."  (And here I thought: 'So, that guy from the streets of Chicago, that community organizer trained in Alinsky methods of bringing about change, should perhaps be cut some slack.')  The Covenant House blurb goes on to say: "Covenant House teaches by example that caring relationships are based on trust, respect, and honesty." 

Makes sense to me.  I can go along with that take on things.

And that's all I really wanted to say in this blog.  See, I think what I left out of my first statement of my Mission Statement as erstwhile King Of America was some sense of Heart.  I referred to a lot of Head stuff.  But that is only one part of the deal.  

The deal, of living a life of harmony, and balance.  In tune with, and alignment with, the principles of this living universe, and its living Source.

And in a choice, the Heart energy should come first.  Because the whole thing is bound up, in its essence, with Love.

As personified by such charities as Covenant House.  And the Union Rescue Mission.   And…...

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* "This year, more than 2 million kids in America will face a period of homelessness.  57% of homeless kids spend at least one day every month without food.  Covenant House is their shelter from the storm." 

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