[Springboard] Fwd: an inspirational letter

[Robert Rafos]

This is a worthy message to President Obama from the author Alice  
Walker.  It is a short read, and is wisdom for all of us.

Respectfully,

Bob Rafos



> From: Sandra Rafos <rafos at interlog.com>
>>
>> Subject: Fwd: an inspirational letter
>>>
>>> Nov. 5, 2008
>>>
>>> Dear Brother Obama,
>>>
>>> You have no idea, really, of how profound this moment is for us.  
>>> Us being the black people of the Southern United States. You think  
>>> you know, because you are thoughtful, and you have studied our  
>>> history. But seeing you deliver the torch so many others before  
>>> you carried, year after year, decade after decade, century after  
>>> century, only to be struck down before igniting the flame of  
>>> justice and of law, is almost more than the heart can bear. And  
>>> yet, this observation is not intended to burden you, for you are  
>>> of a different time, and, indeed, because of all the relay runners  
>>> before you, North America is a different place. It is really only  
>>> to say: Well done. We knew, through all the generations, that you  
>>> were with us, in us, the best of the spirit of Africa and of the  
>>> Americas. Knowing this, that you would actually appear, someday,  
>>> was part of our strength. Seeing you take your rightful place,  
>>> based solely on your wisdom, stamina and character, is a balm for  
>>> the weary warriors of hope, previously only sung about.
>>>
>>> I would advise you to remember that you did not create the  
>>> disaster that the world is experiencing, and you alone are not  
>>> responsible for bringing the world back to balance. A primary  
>>> responsibility that you do have, however, is to cultivate  
>>> happiness in your own life. To make a schedule that permits  
>>> sufficient time of rest and play with your gorgeous wife and  
>>> lovely daughters. And so on. One gathers that your family is  
>>> large. We are used to seeing men in the White House soon become  
>>> juiceless and as white-haired as the building; we notice their  
>>> wives and children looking strained and stressed. They soon have  
>>> smiles so lacking in joy that they remind us of scissors. This is  
>>> no way to lead. Nor does your family deserve this fate. One way of  
>>> thinking about all this is: It is so bad now that there is no  
>>> excuse not to relax. From your happy, relaxed state, you can model  
>>> real success, which is all that so many people in the world really  
>>> want. They may buy endless cars and houses and furs and gobble up  
>>> all the attention and space they can manage, or barely manage, but  
>>> this is because it is not yet clear to them that success is truly  
>>> an inside job. That it is within the reach of almost everyone.
>>>
>>> I would further advise you not to take on other people's enemies.  
>>> Most damage that others do to us is out of fear, humiliation and  
>>> pain. Those feelings occur in all of us, not just in those of us  
>>> who profess a certain religious or racial devotion. We must learn  
>>> actually not to have enemies, but only confused adversaries who  
>>> are ourselves in disguise. It is understood by all that you are  
>>> commander in chief of the United States and are sworn to protect  
>>> our beloved country; this we understand, completely. However, as  
>>> my mother used to say, quoting a Bible with which I often fought,  
>>> "hate the sin, but love the sinner." There must be no more  
>>> crushing of whole communities, no more torture, no more  
>>> dehumanizing as a means of ruling a people's spirit. This has  
>>> already happened to people of color, poor people, women, children.  
>>> We see where this leads, where it has led.
>>>
>>> A good model of how to "work with the enemy" internally is  
>>> presented by the Dalai Lama, in his endless caretaking of his soul  
>>> as he confronts the Chinese government that invaded Tibet.  
>>> Because, finally, it is the soul that must be preserved, if one is  
>>> to remain a credible leader. All else might be lost; but when the  
>>> soul dies, the connection to earth, to peoples, to animals, to  
>>> rivers, to mountain ranges, purple and majestic, also dies. And  
>>> your smile, with which we watch you do gracious battle with unjust  
>>> characterizations, distortions and lies, is that expression of  
>>> healthy self-worth, spirit and soul, that, kept happy and free and  
>>> relaxed, can find an answering smile in all of us, lighting our  
>>> way, and brightening the world.
>>>
>>> We are the ones we have been waiting for.
>>>
>>> In Peace and Joy,
>>> Alice Walker
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>     be*loved    be*love
>>>
>>> melina bondy
>>>
>>>
>>>     let the beauty we love
>>>
>>>     be what we do
>>>
>>>     there are hundred of ways
>>>
>>>     to kneel and kiss the ground
>>>
>>>                             -rumi
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> www.guelph-unitarians.com
>>>
>>> 519.836.3443
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Yahoo! Canada Toolbar : Search from anywhere on the web and  
>>> bookmark your favourite sites. Download it now!
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>

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