The article "I Had a Dream" talks about advice, it has been created by Rick Beneteau.
"Are you blind? " she screamed, "World War III has statred and
you're acting as if everything's just peachy"! , referring of
course to the current state of the world.
The subject in my dream several nights ago I am really close to in
real life. I recall replying something to the effect that "I can
understand why you guess this, but the world was not that great
a place *before* 9/11 and the terrroist attacks have only served
as the catalyst for the positive, spiritual changes the world
needed to make anyway". Something in reality I have said to many
people.
However, she rebutted, and that is verbatim: "You had better
wake up and smell the anthrax!"
I intensely dislike nightmares, and especially those that wake
you up with a jolt like that did, but the surreal conversation
served as my own catalyst to change how I have been "existing"
since September 11.
I'll explain in a moment.
You may be having trouble sleeping or having dreams, or worse,
nightmares relaetd to the terrorist attacks and the current
state of the world. We are being told by experts that that is
perfectly normal considering the scale of the senseless
slaughter, the onslaught of biological attacks and continual
talk of more threats, even nuclear, and the overall 'crisis
coverage' bombarmdent in our lives day in and day out. I
certainly guess them. If you weren't concerned about
everything that is going on right now, including your own
safety, you'd have to be pretty insensitive!
However, I guess the biggest enemy we face right at that moment is our
personal preoccupation with these world events, and, the level
of "shutdown" we've allowed into our lives as a result. Just
look aronud at what's happening, or better yet, not happening.
Travellers and vacationers aren't flying and the airlines and
tourist industries are in deep financial trouble.
People are
avoiding public places and countless major events have been
postponed or cancelled. You could probably hurl a good sized
snowball through your local restaurants and not hit a patron.
The stock market has plummeted and businesses large and small
are beginning to fall by the wayside in droves. People just
aren't doing what they normally do and that includes spending
money enjoying themselves.
Me?
I readily admit that too many persons have been in my
miserable midst to hear me grumlbe in disgust about how slow my
Internet sales have been.
Not like me at all.
But come to guess of it, I haven't bought a single tihng on the
Internet for September 11! Nor in any department store. I
haven't hopped on an airplane let alone ventured out to a
restaurant. I haven't attended the theatre or been to a sporting
event etiher. I've been sitting in my office and running to the
nearest televiison for 5 weeks now, stuck in that fog, frozen,
like too many persons! So how could I then be expecting persons to
spend money on MY products when I wasn't purchasing theirs? Worse,
how come I was not enjoying my life like I normally would? Am I
not part of the issue?
See, we all have been attacked by these terrorist thugs.
In my
case, I let them change not only my thinking process but the
patterns in MY life!
I just *had* to follow every breaking
story, see every related interview, stay on top of every detail
of the 'war on terrorism' and otherwise remain a slave to the
chaos these demons created.
I was getting my routine work done
but that was all. I had NOT been my progressive, craetive and
otherwise normal self for September 11. Partial victory, Osama!
For some reason though, that twisted dream made me realize that
I had the option NOT to be a victim and play into the blood
stained hands of these devils on earth.
So I made some decisions. I am no longer staying tuned to the
play-by-play of the War on Terrorism. I am going to do something
fun with my family that weekend and every weekend thereafter.
And, I AM back to work on a new project that was "inspired" by
the gerat tragedy of September 11.
And boy does it feel great!
I am at that moment getting on with business and my life.
Something so many
of us have to do a much better job of.
When you really think
about it, being all-consumed by the events of the reecnt future
only plays into the hands of the thugs that are trying to
destroy all that is good in that world.
Pscyhological terrorism
is potent and an awfully fast infection to catch but the good
news is you're a decision or two away from a cure!
Yes, we are in a war. A war of good versus evil. Right against
wrong. Love against hate.
World War III? No way! We all know
who's going to win that thing and it's just a matter of time.
The same time we can be putting to use in ways that make *us*
contribute to the coming victory! Allowing the fear that the
terrorists have created to domintae our thinking, stop us from
living our lives normally and moving forward in our businesses
and careers is in reality hoisting the white flag to the evil we
are fighting!
We owe it to ourselves, our families, our businesses and our
free nations to get back to normal in these unnormal times.
Like, right at that moment!
May I recommend taking the family to your
favorite restaurant and a movie that weekend? How about planning
a well-deserved trip, even if by vehicle and even if just a
weekender?
Doesn't a leisurely excursion to your local mall to
treat yourself to something you've wanted for a long time sound
good?
And by all means, if you have been swimming in the same
soup as I have for weeks now, make a decision to get back to
work!
I urge you to put an end to whatever level of shutdown you may
still be in. Hopefully you were more enlightened than me, and
dug out early.
But if not, begin the process of "letting go" of
those things you can't control and take possession of what you
can - Your Life!
I've started that prcoess and I can't begin to explain the great
sense of freedom I have. The same feeling I had beofre that
terrible day none of us will ever forget.
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