WAR IN IRAQ and other difficult realities

[Jim Metcalf]

Birgett,
Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful, courageous, compassionate
heart. Peace be with you.

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of
Birgitt Williams
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 5:57 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: WAR IN IRAQ and other difficult realities

John,
I too am perplexed by these life mysteries around suffering. At times in
my
life, I also placed myself in positions where I was immersed in people
suffering. For me, I was not strong enough to keep dealing with it on a
daily basis. I had attended one funeral too many that could have been
prevented. I ended up in a state of total emotional collapse because I
thought there must have been something more I could have done especially
regarding the corruption that led to so much of the abuse. My collapse
took
a few months  to recover from, and eventually and much to my relief  I
finally could do up my buttons again, read again and so on. I had
wonderful
teachers through that time, as I have had through all of my life--just
the
right ones for what I needed at the time. One of them was Harrison who
made
a phone call to me and was the first to discover what shape I was in (I
was
home alone at the time) and who gave me lots of sage advice and
friendship.
A lot of the advice was about detachment from outcome even in the most
awful
of circumstances. And you know Harrison so you know he was also in tears
as
he gave the advice.

Another teacher was a spiritual advisor who said that my heart broke
from
compassion and that if I continued, I was likely to lose my life. He
also
suggested that I learn detachment. He said that I was in this for the
long
haul and had to learn to take care of me so that I could really make the
difference that I am here to make.

That was in 1994. I have since learned a lot about loving all of
humanity
and doing so with detachment from outcome, what it means to hold space
for
"opportunities for harmony" such as we are doing with our Harmony
Project in
holding space for harmony in the world. I have learned to BE the change
I
seek in the world and I know I am still becoming that change. I am
convinced
that this is very very important work for us all to do, who care to do
so.

Blessings to you,
Birgitt

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]On Behalf Of john
engle
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 3:25 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: WAR IN IRAQ and other difficult realities


thank you, for your response, birgitt.

it helps me to better understand your previous message. i appreciate
that
you took the time to explain in more detail your thoughts.

i frequently find myself perplexed by these life mysteries around
suffering.

john

http://www.beyondborders.net/experiment.htm

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