A message to everyone.

Once on a yellow piece of paper with green lines
he wrote a
poem
And he called it "Chops"
because that was the name of his dog
And that's what it was all about
And his teacher gave him an A
and a
gold star
And his mother hung it on the kitchen door
and read it to his
aunts
That was the year Father Tracy
took all the kids to the zoo
And he let them sing on the bus
And his little sister was born
with
tiny toenails and no hair
And his mother and father kissed a lot
And the
girl around the corner sent him a
Valentine signed with a row of X's
and
he had to ask his father what the X's meant
And his father always tucked him
in bed at night
And was always there to do it

Once on a piece of
white paper with blue lines
he wrote a poem
And he called it "Autumn"
because that was the name of the season
And that's what it was all about
And his teacher gave him an A
and asked him to write more clearly
And his mother never hung it on the kitchen door
because of its new
paint
And the kids told him
that Father Tracy smoked cigars
And left
butts on the pews
And sometimes they would burn holes
That was the year
his sister got glasses
with thick lenses and black frames
And the girl
around the corner laughed
when he asked her to go see Santa Claus
And
the kids told him why
his mother and father kissed a lot
And his father
never tucked him in bed at night
And his father got mad
when he cried
for him to do it.

Once on a paper torn from his notebook
he wrote a
poem
And he called it "Innocence: A Question"
because that was the
question about his girl
And that's what it was all about
And his
professor gave him an A
and a strange steady look
And his mother never
hung it on the kitchen door
because he never showed her
That was the
year that Father Tracy died
And he forgot how the end
of the Apostle's
Creed went
And he caught his sister
making out on the back porch
And
his mother and father never kissed
or even talked
And the girl around
the corner
wore too much makeup
That made him cough when he kissed her
but he kissed her anyway
because that was the thing to do
And at
three a.m. he tucked himself into bed
his father snoring soundly

That's why on the back of a brown paper bag
he tried another poem
And he called it "Absolutely Nothing"
Because that's what it was really
all about
And he gave himself an A
and a slash on each damned wrist
And he hung it on the bathroom door
because this time he didn't think
he could reach the kitchen.

This poem is called, A Person, A Paper, A Promise, written by Dr. Earl Reum.

Isn't it sad? My wish for you all is to understand that the world in which we live is brutal, it's rough, it's confusing, it's real but it can be beautiful. It wil give us strength. You are not alone. You 're stronger than you think. You can make it. Please don't give up. You are beautiful. B-E-A-U-tiful. You are worth so much. You're not worthless, you never were, and you never will be. Sometimes things are hard but they'll make you stronger and you'll get past it. You're going to make it. I know you're tired but you can take it. You'll get the energy to make it through. You'll find the light to lead you out of the darkness and your heart will sing and be happy and you'll feel the love. The sadness will go away. You'll accomplish things you can't even imagine right now. Don't be afraid, don't run away. You're amazing and you're going to make it. You deserve the sun and the stars, the moon, the clouds, and all the smiles in the world. You deserve it all. Your life is precious and beautiful. It's wonderful and perfect. You may not see how precious your life is but treasure it. It's a wonderful thing. Please don't hurt it. Don't destroy it. Don't tarnish its beauty. Please! I love you. I'd love for you to be happy. I'd love to see you smile. A beautiful and happy smile. I'd love to see pain and sadness vanished from the world forever. I want all hearts to be healed. I believe that we can work together to achieve that. We can make it happen through love. Love is magical. Hope is magical but they're both real. They're real and we can use them to change the world and make it better place. A place that we deserve and a place that our children and their children deserve. A beautiful place built on love and feed with happiness. It can happen and it will. It's possible if we all believe and know that it's real. Know that a better tomorrow is possible and we can all work towards it. Tell someone how amazing they are. Tell someone that their smile is beautiful and that it warms other people's hearts. Tell someone that they are loved and not alone. Believe it. Understand it and spread the word. Together we can spread love to every heart and the world will be a better place. We can do it. I believe. Do you?

Starting Small

Despina Mwembe from Uganda (shown here with her colleague and friend, Heidi Rautionmaa from Finland) submits her first blog to the Sister II Sister network. I'm proud to call her both friend and sister. She shares a story of starting small--in order to accomplish the bigger things for peace. Despina is a peace ambassador who works alongside others in a quest to end religiously motivated violence and to build cultures of peace, justice and healing for the world.

P.K. McCary, Host of the Sister to Sister Blog

Dear Friends,

This morning I went to the Ministry in charge of religious affairs because it is a current requirement for all NGOs to get clearance letters from their line ministries in order for them to continue with their business.  As I was coming in the Minister was getting out so we chatted for a little while and he informed me that his assistant Ronald who works on those issues shall be handling my case.  He called him and as I was waiting for his secretary to photocopy some of the organizational proof documents I had gone with, we started a conversation.

     Apparently, Ronald and his friends belong to a prayer group which was practically targeting the workers because they don't have time  to attend to prayers.  This was started by 2-3 people in one of the institutions which was regarded by most Ugandans as the most corrupt institution ... The Revenue Authority.  Every day, they would meet and pray during lunch time, share a sermon by whoever had prepared to do it that day. As the days went by, more employees joined them to a tune of 35, the Institution started getting more revenue collections.  The employees were commended by their heads, those praying also increased again more in number. Later, some talked to a few of their collegues in the Presidents house locally referred to as State house, ethical conduct started to prevail, though coupled with other pressures. Today the President is openly coming up to condemn corruption and also starting to have a firm grip on those who are corrupt in some institutions.  They went also to the Judiciary, some hospitals and according to him they are continuing with this mission to the different parastals.

     As he shared this,  we started discussing that when you say that governments are corrupt, it is very important to target the workers because they are the ones with the gadgets to either steal or not. An employee theiving attitude can reflect the out puts from that institution. How the children are also brought up by their parents is also key to the outcomes of their behavior in the future. So all these parastals and families need to do something to their employees and children's  values. If it is about domestic violence for example, it is important for us to teach all our  children that women need to be respected, etc.

     An employee who takes an organization for granted and doesn't come on time, doesn't meet deadlines has a negative attitude towards those visiting the organization can greatly contribute to its downfall.

As we were talking about the employees and families etc., I was also evaluating myself and at the same time thinking about the CCs (United Religions Cooperation Circles) and the people therein and how these can start small to have nonviolence attitudes guided by the golden rule at that small level.  In 20- 30 years maybe we would make a difference.

     I also talked to Ronald about whether this can be done while involving other religious groups apart from Christians. He said that would be a good thing because all these un-ethical conducts can't discriminate.  His problem though was whom to contact from those different groups and how to organize it.  As for organizing, I told him he needs to work it out with the concerned parties and as for whom to contact I gave him some key persons.

     I was one of those who feared to start something and I know that it is always hard to start something, but once you put your energy to it, comitment and also believe in prayer as some of religious traditions inspire us, then chances are high that something good can come out of it.  Of course there are so many hurdles along the way but comitment and endurance does sometimes pay off. Ronald also says, the attitude also shouldn't be selfishly motivated.

     This can be a departmental program you are doing, an activity you are planning or executing, a familiy value you are inculcating, an organizational programing you are setting, etc.

     The small things we start and do at that level then become the larger building blocks which can be credibly applauded.  There are times when I feel that maybe I am not doing enough especially when I look at what is going on around me, but Ronald's story today has really made me feel that starting small and commiting can one day be the big achievement that we can all celebrate.

     Thank you all for those sometimes un recognized contributions you are making in the world.

In peace,

Despina Mwembe

Give Your Heart To Haiti

Greetings Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As soon as news of the earthquake in Haiti reached us, we began to organize fundraising efforts for relief work. I belong to an international relief organization, AMURT-AMURTEL. Here in Asheville, NC, we've been fundraising at the stores, and in schools. Many of us have put out calls to our friends nationwide to organize fundraising in their areas, with great success. This week, we collected food, clothing, bedding, medical supplies, educational materials, and in kind donations to send out to AMURT-AMURTEL centers in Haiti. Here is an update on the work going on there:

AMURT & AMURTEL in operation GIVE YOUR HEART TO HAITI continues the work on the ground in Port Au Prince by offering soup kitchens and canteens offering ready to eat meals and bringing in critical resources that are still virtually impossible to attain in Haiti, such as food and fuel. The feeding program is being extended and reinforced next week through several partnerships that will enable the team to offer meals to even more people, for an extended period of time, and in several different locations in the city. The emergency medical clinics and soup kitchen at the Ananda Marga Schools are providing much needed care to thousands of local residents. Most people have been staying outside as a result of the aftershocks.

AMURT & AMURTEL brought in the latest round of relief supplies through the Dominican Republic on Saturday, accompanied by several more team members. The additions to the team have been vital in setting up an additional office in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where many agencies are setting up their coordination centers. There is also a large shipment of medical supplies and other aid materials en route to Florida, scheduled to leave from Miami this Wednesday by boat to the Dominican Republic. These items will then be transported over land into Haiti. Additional medical teams and volunteers are scheduled for deployment within the week.

AMURT & AMURTEL have also made significant progress in contacting and partnering with other agencies on the ground, including Catholic Relief Services, the International Organization for Migration, and the World Food Program. Through these partnerships they will immediately start developing programs based on their objectives of targeting vulnerable and marginalized populations - people with disabilities, the elderly, women, and children. The programs will include easily accessible food programs and child friendly trauma evacuation centers.

AMURT & AMURTEL have more than two decades of experience with relief work in Haiti, and have facilitated many ongoing development projects there. AMURTEL particularly focuses on meeting the special needs of women and children in disasters. The teams are responding to this calamity as rapidly and effectively as possible, and will remain far after the triage and immediate relief has been completed.

Financial support is desperately needed. Tax-deductible donations for GIVE YOUR HEART TO HAITI can be made directly at www.amurt.us, www.amurtel.org, or www.amurt.net. Donations are also being accepted by check made out to AMURT and sent to:

AMURT & AMURTEL USA
GIVE YOUR HEART TO HAITI CAMPAIGN
2502 Lindley Terrace
Rockville, MD 20850

http://www.amurt.net/
http://www.amurtel.org/
http://www.amurt.us/


From Amy Goodman's Democracy Now broadcast yesterday, I understand that the greatest need in the city of Port au Prince is medical personnel, medical equipment, and supplies for the General Hospital. Please refer to her broadcast at: http://www.democracynow.org/ . There you will hear/see an amazing interview from one of the doctors on the ground.

Please keep Haiti in your hearts and do what you can to help with the relief efforts; and to support future sustainable projects. When considering donating items, it's best to send cash to help support the economy of the country in need for things that can be bought there locally. Otherwise, check in with the on-ground organization to see what their needs are.

Sisterly yours,
Anjali Natarajan
AMURT-AMURTEL Committee Member
Asheville, North Carolina

God's Grace is Sufficient

Note: Sister Mama Sonya is a wonderful and gifted storyweaver and playwrite and founder with her two sisters of 3 sisters in the spirit productions. She and I have been friends for decades and have worked with children and on projects as long as we've known each other. Thursday this week, my friend almost died of diabetic complications. She is a tireless worker on many fronts, but diabetes is what she lives with every day of her life. This is her story. Sister Mama Sonya is the author of Sweet Sensations for the Spirit, a book about diabetes. Yours in peace, P.K. McCary

The number of people around the world suffering from diabetes has skyrocketed in the last two decades, from 30 million to 230 million, claiming millions of lives and severely taxing the ability of health care systems to deal with the epidemic, according to data released Saturday by the International Diabetes Federation. While the growing problem of diabetes in the United States has been well documented, the federation's data show that 7 of the 10 countries with the highest number of diabetics are in the developing world.

New York Times, January 16, 2010

JAMBO/HELLO!!!

⁹ And He said to me “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-11

When God administers U a test, U are duty bound to give your testimony, so here is mine:

On Thursday, I left my office around 10:30 to go to the eye doctor for an 11:00 appointment at Kelsey Seybold Clinic in the Galleria area. As I got on Hwy 59S, the freeway began to look funny to me. The lanes seemed to keep changing, morphing in & out. However, I kept driving. I vaguely remember getting on to 610 and exiting at Woodway ( although I should have exited at San Felipe). As I tried to go to the clinic on Augusta, I became more and more disoriented. However, I really did not know what was going on.

I drove around looking for the clinic and called the nurse saying I was lost. She asked where was I and I told her on S Post Oak and something, then hung up. I called again and told her I was late, but to please do not cancel my appointment and then I hung up. I called Craig, my husband. Later, he told me that I was babbling on the phone.

As I drove around I became more and more disoriented, yet still not realizing what was really happening. I saw myself driving erratically, turning around in the streets, pulling in and out of parking lots, even going through a red light or two.

At this point I thought I was having a nervous breakdown and keeping saying, “Please, Lord, I’m not going out like this. Lord, do not take me out like this please.” I remember screaming trying to make sense of the situation.

I kept trying to get to Augusta Street, but I could not find it. And when I did see it for whatever reason, I did not turn on the street. I remember looking at the clock. It was 11:45 a.m.. I saw a neighborhood, a house with a baby swing in the front yard and then I was back on Westheimer again, driving erratically.

The next thing I knew, it was 1:45 pm and I was lying in an ambulance with an IV in my arm in front of the  house with the baby swing.  My sugar levels had gone down to 21 and I had passed out in my car.  Someone saw me passed out and called the police who called an ambulance

God’s grace is sufficient.  Even with the erratic driving down the freeway, through the streets, still I did not cause harm to myself or anyone else. I do not know how I got back in front of that house, yet the hand  of God hand parked my car perfectly off of the main streets.

Craig would not have known to look for me on that back street if I was still passed out in my car.  Hallelujah!!!!! His grace, God’s grace was my covering and protection. I now know more than ever, just how good God is, how he protects U, safeguards U, looks after U, keeps U when U can’t do it for your self. When infirmities come your way, He is there to make U stronger in your weakest hour. Hallelujah!!!! Glory 2 God!!! I just can’t stop saying thank you enough for His grace is sufficient.

Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, sickness of the mind

In my weakness, I get stronger

Divorce, separation, unfulfilled relationships

In my weakness, I get stronger

Bankruptcies, foreclosures, unemployment

In my weakness, I get stronger

Hatred, racism, jealousy

In my weakness, I get stronger

Violence, Death, Destruction,

In my weakness, I get stronger

Wars, earthquakes, calamities

In my weakness, I get stronger

When my life feels low

And I don’t know where to go

It gets hard to look up and not give up

When U drink from life’s bitter cup

When challenges & infirmities seem be all there is

I stop and remember that I am His

Then I become stronger and know that I can go on

Because I know who I can to go to and call upon

His grace is sufficient

It IS enough

When times get tough, the going gets rough

In my weakness I feel His strength & power

Because I know His grace protects me in my darkest hour

In my weakness, I will cry no longer

For in my weakness through His sufficient grace

I AM  Stronger

sister mama sonya 2010

When Disaster Strikes ...

A beautiful place:

God cries, too.

According to a report from NPR:

"The tiny bodies of children lay in piles next to the ruins of their collapsed school. People with faces covered by white dust and the blood of open wounds roamed the streets. Frantic doctors wrapped heads and stitched up sliced limbs in a hotel parking lot. The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, still struggling to recover from the relentless strikes of four catastrophic storms in 2008, was a picture of heartbreaking devastation Wednesday after a magnitude-7 earthquake."

     Why does it seem that Haiti cannot get a break? My heart breaks for the suffering of the people of Haiti who have had more than their share of tragedies. Still, for someone to say that God somehow designs these tragedies to punish people is more than cruel. It is wrong. More than a half million people and even more may have suffered because of the January 12, 2010 earthquake that rocked this small country. There are many ways to help. My hope is that you will take the time and send whatever you can. There are many places to give included in this blog. I'm only asking that you do. Here are a few:

What you can do:
• Donating cash to established relief organizations is the best way to help because it allows professionals to get exactly what they need and does not use up scarce resources such as transportation, staff time or warehouse space.

Organizations accepting donations:
• InterAction has a list of agencies responding and how to donate to them. Find it here: www.interaction.org/crisis-list/earthquake-haiti

• To donate $10 to the American Red Cross,
text Haiti to 90999. The amount will be added to your next phone bill.
The organization is also accepting donations through its International Response Fund at www.redcross.org or (800) RED-CROSS.

• To donate $5 to Wyclef Jean’s Haitian Yele charity, text 501501. The money will be added to your next phone bill.

• To find out how to help the International Rescue Committee, visit www.theIRC.org or call toll free, (877) REFUGEE.

• To donate through Oxfam’s emergency appeal, visit www.oxfam.org.uk

Don't politicize. Don't judge. Simply give. Today.

Woman as Mother

by Anjali Angela Silva

Who am I
As Sister,
Mother,
Daughter,
Friend?
Who am I?

Coming into womanhood, I asked myself this question time and time again. Thus began the personal, internal journey. Throughout my teens and youth, I identified myself as Chicana, Portuguese, Sephardin - an exotic singer/dancer, an indigenous spiritualist, a healer with a strong urge to serve the underserved. The years pass; an initiation into the Tantric spiritual life; a marriage to an Indian man and two children later. The question takes on another form: Who am I as Mother?

Mother, has been my prominent role for the last 13 years. It has been the primary focus and goal from pre-conception to pre-teen years: How will I raise these boys? What education will they receive? What are my goals for them? How do I raise them to be spiritual and conscious beings? As a spiritual woman on the Tantric path, Mother has taken on the form as Universal Mother, Mohiini – mother to all. Indian philosopher, P.R. Sarkar states that in Bengali culture, all females, from newborn to crone, are revered and addressed as mothers, or ‘Ma’. If this were to become a universal social trend, surely violence against women would cease. In his book, The Awakening of Women, he writes:

“In the Vajrayana Buddhist age, the idea first developed that the basic identity of a woman was neither “sister” nor “daughter”, but “mother”. To support this concept, the Vajrayana Buddhist Tantrics used to say that the person whom the newborn baby notices immediately after its birth is neither its sister, its wife, nor its daughter, but its mother. So that on the wider canvas of this universe the identity of a woman, from first to last, was portrayed as a mother.”

This summer, I moved to the mountains of North Carolina to be a part of a yogic community. I am one of a few women living near the brothers land. Here, we have a milking farm, a retreat center, and the beginnings of a sustainable community for women. Late December it snowed and snowed, and what was supposed to be only 4 inches of snow turned out to be 18! Within the first few hours, the power went out, and did not return for nine days. Grandpa came running downstairs, lugging two snow contraptions: a sled and a toboggan.

“Come on boys; let’s go play in the snow!”
Into mother mode I went, “Get on 3 layers of clothes, snow boots, hats and gloves and your winter coats.”

These boys grew up in Houston where winter temperatures are around 50-60 degrees F, thus I received much resistance to bundle up: "It’s not that cold!"
But after a few days of reinforcement, they finally understood.

How is it that mothers hold the intention for keeping children safe and warm? I look around me at the men in my life - strong men, beautiful men, spiritual men, men with so many good qualities. But only mother thinks to keep the children covered and warm; to keep track of them on 100 acres of mountain woods where anything can happen to them; to give them proper nourishment in food and love; to make sure they spend time doing a variety of activities during the day. Mother as Warmth. Mother as Love.

During the four days we were snowed in, I became the keeper of the homestead, “The Pioneer Woman”, as Grandpa said. Having recently watched a demonstration at an old fashioned homestead village, I learned to make a coal bed for cooking. As I chopped vegetables, I thought of the brothers outside, gathering wood, assessing the land, clearing the roads of fallen trees. In great appreciation of all their work, I carefully chose the right salty seasonings for a hearty soup that would warm their bodies and please their senses. Mother as Nurturer.

I was the mother to those boys and men who worked hard to keep us in fire wood and clear the roads. I cooked and cleaned and kept the children in dry clothing throughout the day. It is this consciousness that God has given to us – Woman as Mother.

A week later, my family and I traveled to a spiritual retreat in Missouri. On the way there, I fell sick with extreme anemia. A motherly angel appeared in the form of a curandera; a natural doctor, Ashima. She knew just the thing to do and had brought all of her supplements, needles and wisdom, in her plastic bags. “Take these supplements every morning and drink lots of water. Come stay in my room with me so I can take better care of you.”

And that she did.

She made sure every morning I took my supplements and gave me daily acupuncture treatments that stopped the bleeding and raised my energy. She advised me not to attend the programs – to stay in bed and rest as much as possible until my strength returned. Then, Madre Angel wrote me a long list of things that would help me to heal, and consulted with my own natural doctor. This is mother – one who goes out of her way to help others.

At the same retreat, I noticed a young, single mother struggling to get time away from her baby. I reached out to her and relieved her of her duties several times so that she could attend the meditations. Though I myself was sick, I saw that I could still serve in some small way.

In the West, the concept of Universal Mother is mistaken for martyrism. It is looked down upon by many women. Here, we are given the privilege to explore our masculine side, to ‘do our own thing’, to be individualistic. In the East and in other countries, the quality of mother is valued and highly honored. Being raised in the West of ‘old world’ parentage, I have struggled with balancing the internal question: Who am I as a woman? In this time and space, I am mother – Universal Mother who sees all of humanity as her own, and strives to keep it in my consciousness to serve others. Woman as Mother.

When family relations turn toxic

It was not meant as an offensive remark, and certainly not intended to hurt my sister's feelings. I simply told the truth. Surely that would not be sufficient reason to never speak to me again... would it?

We were at a rare family reunion (disunion?) which had brought us together over thousands of miles and, it turns out, even greater distances between our lifestyles. I was going around the campground, and I was excited to introduce my son, his fiancee, and her 12 yr old son to members of my family. This was a first for most of them, since we had lived far away when my boys were born nearly 40 years before. I knew my about-to-be daughter-in-law was more than nervous about the fact that this was a second marriage for her, so I was doing my best to put her at ease by letting her know our family had been cobbled together over time as well.

So when we got to my eldest sister, I cheerfully put my foot in my mouth by saying, "And this is my eldest sister, Janet - half-sister, actually - and that's her adopted son, Jerry, over there and his sister Sara over there." (Her kids are now in their 30's.) The look in my sister's eyes could have killed on the spot. She erupted like an overdue geyser with "What gives you the right to say that?! How dare you?! Our father adopted me when I was less than 5 years old, and he treated us as his own! And my children are MY children. Whether or not they're adopted is no body's business!" And on, and on, and on like that.

Well, as you can imagine, I was aghast and humiliated in front of my son and his soon to be bride, and immediately apologized profusely to my sister - whenever I could get a word in edgewise, that is. She ignored my attempts and stormed into her nearby RV. Later, when I was alone, I knocked on her door and sheepishly offered my most profound apologies. Even using my best non-violent communications practices, though, nothing would melt that iceberg. She just started in again with her diatribe of blame and anger. When I later got home, I tried again, this time with a lengthy email message describing my good intentions and sincere concern for her feelings. No response.

That was two and a half years ago. To this day, no Christmas card, newsy email or even innocent question about something totally unrelated has resulted in any response from my sister. I even resorted to asking another sister to intervene on my behalf, but nothing came of that either.

So how does a person who is dedicated to being a peacemaker deal with toxic relations within her own family? I've concluded that the best I can do is to silently send her unconditional love, with total forgiveness and concern for the mindset she has chosen for herself. I can now recognize that, in the long run, the title of a book I once saw is really true - "What You Think of Me Is None of My Business."

Countdown 2010: Beyond the Decade

Sojourner Truth (1851) at Women‘s Rights gathering in Ohio

“If de fust woman God ever made was strong enough to turn de world upside down all alone, dese women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again!”

--Quoted from Africana Woman/Her Story through Time

by Dr. Cynthia Jacobs Carter

As women contemplate all that they want to say for the new year, one can hear the voices of the ancestors urging us to speak up and speak out, to share our wisdom and vision, and to make way for building cultures of peace for every child in the world. To think about topics that may appeal to you, the following topics are offered for your consideration:

• What woman of your culture (past or present) speaks to the role of women as peacemakers?
• Where do you find woman should put their efforts in for this year? Over the next ten years?
• What would you like to change over the next year? The next decade? For this millennium?
• What have we done well?
• What can we do better?
• What would you like to see the political and government leaders of your country concentrate on this year? Over the next decade?
• What would you like to see religious and spiritual leaders do for the peace of the world?

     Still not sure what you want to contribute? Don't make this hard. Think about the conversations you are having each and every day with people you trust, that you bounce an idea off of, that you cry with, laugh with and recreate those conversations here. Only think about a place in the world that you've dreamed of and write to a woman there. Share your ideas of what a better world will look like and perhaps that woman that you know only in your imagination will write back. Conversations start that way and dialogue can lead to greater understanding. Still not sure? Here are a few examples of what women are saying:    
     Sandy Westin (NC, USA) offers the following quote: “S/he who makes a life-long hobby out of building and holding resentments will never run out of opportunities and material. But they will also never experience peace.”
     Betsey Stang (NY, USA) writes: “As we move into 2012, it is time for the Earth to rebalance. The voice of women is vital to this. The traditional Maya can only do many of their most sacred ceremonies if both a man and a woman are present and participate. What is done to women is what is done to the Earth. May we all overcome our fears and have the courage to speak authentically.”
     Annirene Nyambura Munda (Kenya, Africa) writes: “Accepting our respective joys and strifes, yet upholding the sacredness of what womanness is, for such of joys and strife touch our little worlds, to bigger worlds, to the world as it is known to all. Thanks Ma'.”
     Barbara Malloy Morin (Houston, USA) writes: “In 2010 I want to share with women of all ages ways to maintain a purposefully, peaceful attitude by maintaining healthy bodies and learning nurturing, soothing, calming behaviors as well as by ingesting healthy foods and absorbing positive, inspirational thoughts maximizing the ability to detoxify body, mind and spirit, allowing for the soul's inner light to develop into illuminating, protective corona warming every life it touches. May the HALO of Peace Illuminate the Earth throughout this year and all years to come.”
     In a few short sentences, these women engage the senses. How would you respond to them? What questions need asking, what conversations need starting? Think about this and more and I believe that you have something to say. Next, contact us at sisteriisister@thepeacehour.org. This blog belongs to all who participate. Join the conversation for 2010. Your reward is waiting for you--as are the rewards of those who will benefit from your wisdom. Peace. Oh, and Happy New Year 2010!