Living beliefs

It is hard to let old beliefs go. They are familiar. We are comfortable with them and have spent years building systems and developing habits that depend on them. Like a man who has worn eyeglasses so long that he forgets he has them on, we forget that the world looks to us the way it does because we have become used to seeing it that way through a particular set of lenses. Today, however, we need new lenses. And we need to throw the old ones away. Kenichi Ohmae

My belief this week has been -- I gotta get this done. And I did. The book, WHERE, that is. The editing. Proofing. Writing of additional copy. Drop-dead date is Tuesday and it is nearing 'real fast'!

In the midst of working on the book, I had to get our sixteen page newsletter written, compiled and off to the printer -- proof that seriously, Miracles do happen, because yesterday, Paul our creative assets guy hit 'upload' and the newsletter is at the printers.

At the same time, I had the pleasure of sitting in on two first year Communications classes as they presented their project summaries. Two separate teams had been coming into the DI, the shelter where I work, for the past three months, researching and compiling data to create two separate projects -- one, a video for our Volunteer Appreciation event. Two, a social media strategy and DVD cover for the launch of our 15 minute documentary, Standing by: A DI Documentary.

In listening to the students present Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, I had some of my beliefs shaken and stirred.

So much is said about today's 'new generation' of cyber-connected, jaded and apathetic youth I was beginning to believe it was true.

It's NOT!

These young people care. Truly care. And, they are willing to play a part, take a stand, be part of making a difference in our world.

What struck me most was that for these young people, coming to the DI, as they kept repeating, changed their lives.

Fear became acceptance. Judgments became understanding. Wounds became wisdom.

It was a pretty amazing, and busy week. And now, I'm off to a meeting at 7, a day of final edits, read-throughs and filling in gaps. This weekend I plan on doing more of the same, as well as visiting so many of my online friends with whom I haven't been able to visit over the past week.

And if anyone else is experiencing trouble with getting Blogger to accept formatting -- HELP! I have to put the HTML code for paragraph break in -- and it still gives me extra paras. If I don't put it in, I don't have any paragraphs, just one long stream of sentences. Anyone?

Thanks so much. May your day be filled with wonder. May your world revolve around you as you stand in the light of your truth and beauty. May we all wear different lenses today. May we all see the world through eyes of wonder that see the beauty of our world in all its complexity and possibility.