We Are the Difference By Diana Harris Intuitive Counselor, Psychic Medium, Healer and Teacher Make a career of Humanity...and you will make a Greater Person of yourself, a Greater Nation of your country, and a Finer World to live in.     ~ Martin Luther King, Jr. There is so much going on in the world that for many, fear is growing in their hearts and minds. And, some are feeding that fear with untruths, aggression, and other exploitations to confuse us on the real issues. There is much work to be accomplished. Marianne Williamson said it best with this statement: "In every community there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every Heart there is the Power to do it!" We must now ask ourselves what legacy we leave for our children. Each of us are parents of the next generation whether we have children of our own or not. All of us have an important role to play and a moral responsibility to the future. What do our present actions teach our children about our values? Are we teaching them to "consume" or to share? Are they learning violence in words and deeds or the art of listening and compassionate action? Are our actions teaching them respect for self, others, and our planet? We have only to look at the dramas playing out all over the world to know the truth. I must take some time to focus upon the crises in Somalia and the Horn of Africa. I feel that it is fitting for this discussion. More than 12.4 million people are suffering from the worse famine and drought in Africa in years. Political anarchy and conflict in the area worsen the already overwhelming crisis. Families have walked for weeks with the hope of making it to the refugee camps. Many have died making the journey or lost loved ones along the way. To add to this horror, little assistance is available upon arrival to the camps. Resources are limited. It is now estimated that hundreds of thousands of children will die of starvation if relief efforts are not stepped up. This is unfathomable! The United States and other countries spend billions of dollars on war annually. What does that say about our values? What are we teaching? The children and the people of the Horn of Africa are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. Together, we can provide help and hope to the families affected by this disaster by donating to the relief efforts. This is a beginning. Every act of Kindness matters and builds a foundation. Long term solutions like fair trade, training, and assistance creating sustainable water and agriculture solutions will help to rebuild. This catastrophe reminds me/us that we may sometimes be challenged, but we have much to be grateful for. None of us are immune to tragedy. We cannot turn a blind eye to those in need. I believe that each of us can make a difference no matter how small our donation may seem in proportion to the depth of the crisis. The power of one act of kindness multiplies and becomes the power of many united in compassionate purpose. This crisis and others remind us that Love and Compassion are Actions. Both hold the Power to change a life, a community, a nation, and the world. Love and compassion are our true nature. It is time that we live that Truth. Let us keep the Circle of Love flowing. If you decide to donate to a relief organization, please ensure that the greater portion of all donations go toward the relief effort. Some organizations do not appropriate funds in a manner that best benefits those requiring assistance. CharityNavigator is a wonderful tool to help you make an informed decision about your contributions. Many people have asked me why this disaster and others are happening now. I suspect that a greater plan is being served - the details of which we may never understand with our minds. It feels to me to be a journey of the Heart. Perhaps, part of the plan is to awaken us to the Truth of our shared humanity and spiritual heritage. We've lost sight of it through time. Yes, many of us are remembering and believe in the concept of unity. We talk about it, sometimes act in accord with it, but have yet to fully claim it by living it. It's frightening - as it challenges how we live. We have been programmed to believe in lack and separation from God, ourselves, and others. We've learned it from our history books, religious ideologies, schools, previous generations, the media, with a helping hand from other socio-economic contributors. And, it’s been a difficult and destructive habit to break. The belief in separation created fear, wars, bullying, prejudice, abuses of all kinds, and greed upon greed. Crises and suffering, such as what is occurring in Africa, serve as a spiritual spotlight to wake us from our inertia. They illuminate whether we are living our values and cause us to re-evaluate what we hold as valuable. Suffering, pain, and tragedy soften us. They, in the role of teacher, offer us opportunities of spiritual breakthrough for global consciousness. We no longer live in our own worlds, towns, or countries. Our technology reminds us every day that we are a global family and that we are connected. Everything touches Everything so we that can learn to Feel again and reconnect to the wisdom of our Hearts. We can no longer afford to live the lie that we are separate from others and the Earth. This lie has created a massive loneliness that many have tried to fill with things, egos, and illusions of power. The only remedy for a malnourished Heart is Love. Mohandas Gandhi said that the Earth provides enough for everyone's needs but not enough for everyone's greed. This is truly the test of our time!! We know that the current dysfunction and imbalance of the status quo is not sustainable. Systems based upon ego and greed will continue to fail. They have outlived their purpose. Despite outer appearances - we are gathering our strength and courage. Many voices and hands are now joining in compassionate purpose. Our hearts know that we are fully Capable of creating a better world for the Good of All. We can make a difference because We Are that Difference! Diana Harris is a nationally recognized intuitive counselor, psychic medium, healer, and teacher. She is frequently sought for the accuracy of her intuitive services, mediumship abilities, and dynamic workshops. Diana has a deep connection to Mother Earth and works with her Wisdom Keepers. She travels throughout the US to conduct transformational workshops, speak at conferences, and offer mediumship or intuitive counseling. Ms Harris reaches audiences worldwide through her writing and radio engagements. She is often a contributing writer to SpiritSide, Kinetics, By Region, Om Place and other holistic journals. Her short stories were most recently featured in the book, Love Like God: Embracing Unconditional Love, Feb 2011. Diana is currently working on her own book and deck of animal cards. Learn more about her work at: sacredspiraldance.com and dianaharris.com RETURN TO OMPLACE HOME