The World Needs You NOW: Choose Love

We may look different on the surface. In truth, those are all illusions. Our titles. Our sexuality. Our religion. The number of zeros in our bank account. Our possessions. Those are not real. At the end of the day, those are the things that tend to create fear in our lives in one way or another.

There is only one thing that is real...and that is love. Just imagine if everyone in the world fully believed that, even just remotely, even for just one day. The world could possibly be healed. That might seem like a pipe dream, but I assure you that's not.

I am literally heartbroken at the news coming out from Orlando the past several days, first with the senseless shooting of Christina Grimmie and the mass shooting overnight at Pulse Nightclub.

Honestly, how many more tragedies are necessary, whether it be locally or globally, for us to accept one another's differences and simply embrace each other for his/her own magnificence and uniqueness? A lot of people have referred to "the world we now live in as a nightmare." If you continue to live your life in fear and believe this is what the world is not just now, but will continue to be, that will be the reality that you create for yourself.

You might be wondering what can you do during this time to make a difference. Just lil' ol' you. The answer: More than you realize.

First, and most importantly, be yourself. No matter what anyone tells you, no matter what your external environment may reflect back at you. You are absolutely beautiful. You, right now, are a child of divine perfection. You are unconditional love. You, yes you are God, whatever or whomever that means to you.

Secondly, give of your time and your energy. Give blood. Volunteer at a hospital. Give food to your local food bank. Call a friend and ask if he/she needs anything. It can even be as simple as smiling at someone you don't know on the street. You never know how far that smile could go. It may, in fact, save his/her life.

And finally, LOVE AND FORGIVE YOURSELF and LOVE AND FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER. There are times where this is challenging, especially if your spouse or significant other, someone in your family, or one of your friends or business colleagues pushes your buttons and/or "hurts you." This takes daily practice. It's part of the reason why we are all here. As Ram Dass says so beautifully: "We are all just walking each other home."

Do your part. Begin by loving and forgiving yourself, releasing the judgments, the shame, the guilt, the stories you have kept telling yourself for years or even decades. Give yourself the permission to start your day as a clean slate, a blank piece of paper...and give others the opportunity to do the exact same.

At the beginning of the day and at the end of the day, we have a choice. Well, actually, we have many choices. But, this is what it all boils down to, something that I learned through my dear friend and soul sister Scarlett Lewis: We can either choose love or choose fear. We've seen what happens when we choose fear, haven't we?

The tragic events happening now in the world are a wake-up call, not a nightmare. You can wake up and rise up to fulfill your life's purpose and shine your light more than you ever have done before, or you can stay asleep and continue to numb yourself to your own pain and that of the world. It's your call...

Orlando: I have many beautiful memories of my time with you over a decade ago. Those memories will not be tarnished by these past few days. Join me today and this week in prayer, meditation, and love and send healing energies to this beautiful city. 

Namaste.